Voices of the Past Part II
by Elixa Amethyst
Summary: Please R&R :o) Part II, This is the final year for Elixa Amethyst, is Susan North's gain of magical power more than what it seems, and who is the Hogwarts intruder?
1. London

[ Anything that's not blatant is a riddle ]   
Please read and review if you can!  
  
Author's penname: Elixa Amethyst  
Voices of the Past Part II  
Written March 2002 onwards, _pre _Order of the Phoenix.   
**All characters and things you recognise, are © JKRowling, no infringement intended.**

_All references to "mediwizard" mean healer.  
Read Part I at ALIGN="center">**Chapter One**_

**London**

"Severus!" Peterson stood by the bar in the Leaky Cauldron.

"Claude." Severus replied in a less enthusiastic way.

"And Elixa as well, I can see the similarities now." I gave a half-hearted smile. The last time I'd seen Peterson, I'd been pretending to be asleep in my feline state. They'd managed to reverse the spell eventually, but I'd been advised to avoid cats should anything similar happen again. The dangerous magical creatures department at the Ministry had taken Acebus, their suspicions being he was either a very advanced illegal animagus or something more sinister. I didn't particularly want to see the cat again, and I was awaiting a return owl from our Muggle neighbours to see if they knew anything. Severus had been surprised when I had informed him that our Muggle neighbours knew everything, then I informed him that their daughter had come to Hogwarts. Mum hadn't spoken to Dad for a week when the letter came, she suspected he'd had something to do with the child being magical, and only now was I seeing certain similarities in the daughter to my now dead father. I drew the conclusion that my father had not been entirely faithful to my mother.

"Mr Peterson." I gave a slight nod trying to be polite.

"Can I get either of you a drink?" Severus held a hand up to signify no and backed it up with the word. "Another day then?" Peterson suggested. We moved away. Tom, the toothless barman led us up the stairs.

"Very busy at the moment Professor, terribly sorry." He unlocked the door to a room that looked out onto Diagon Alley. I walked into the room and looked round it.

"It'll do." I heard Severus say. He placed his bag beside one of the beds in the room.

"How long are we staying here?" I asked gently, drawing my eyes away from Diagon Alley.

"A few days, then we go home."

"You've never said where home is?" I commented, leaving it as a slight question. Severus looked out of the window too.

"Home is a wizarding village called Little Flumen." Little river, well, where did I really expect Severus to live…? I gave a nod, and caught sight of us in a mirror.

"I can see Peterson has a point." We were dressed in black robes; dark hair, dark eyes and a slightly weary look on our faces.

"I trust you can amuse yourself in Diagon Alley until about seven this evening? I have things to take care of." I nodded.

"Get some rest too Severus, you look shattered." I placed a hand on his shoulder briefly and passed him by.

It was late lunchtime in the Leaky Cauldron. I'd eaten enough for breakfast at Hogwarts to last me until dinner probably, so I walked through the pub.

"Buy you a drink lassie?" Came a drunken voice. I laughed slightly, seeing two wizards sitting at a table beside where I was stood.

"If you're still here tonight and standing then you can." I said and left the Leaky Cauldron and tapped at the right brick to enter Diagon Alley. I headed for Gringotts.

A couple of hours later, I emerged from Flourish and Blotts, having purchased next year's text books for Potions and then Herbology after bumping into Professor Sprout. The shop assistant had performed a shrinking spell on the books so they were easier to carry. Next I was off to Madam Malkin's Robes for all Occasions. I had to get something other than black to wear this summer in the way of robes.

When I stood on the stool as the tape measure flew around me, taking measurements, the door opened again.

"Thought it was you I saw coming in here!" Kerry's voice exclaimed.

"Would have come to your parent's shop, but we're not passing that way as far as I know." I told her. The tape measure finished and I gave a quick hug to my friend. She'd got a slight tan since she left Hogwarts and her face looked rounder.

"What colour do you think?" I asked Kerry. She looked critically from me to the samples and then back again.

"Dark emerald green, deep purple or a storm blue." She came out with, her face deadly serious.

"Nothing brighter?" I asked.

"Hmm… not really sure you're a bright coloured person, and surely you've got lighter Muggle clothes. I think they'll look at bit odd on you, think Lockhart and you'll get the picture…?" I laughed out loud.

"True." I replied.

One dark emerald green robe later, I'd left the shop with Kerry. She dragged me down the road to the ice cream parlour, and after tucking into a famous dish of traditional ice cream, I was able to admire how good it was to see Kerry again. We talked all afternoon, eventually getting up to browse the many shops along the road.

"Want a look down Knockturn Alley?" Kerry asked, as we paused by the entrance to the gloomy alley off Diagon Alley.

"Hmm, not today, I'd rather stay in one piece to show Severus I'm capable of looking after myself."

"How is he anyway, all I can remember you writing is how he's going to kill the Weasleys one day?"

"He's fine, just a bit weary from my feline experience. He's sorting something out this afternoon." I noticed the crowds were thinning around where we were standing. Further down there seemed to be something going on outside Ollivanders. We hurried over.

"Someone's collapsed!" Kerry exclaimed.

"If only I was a mediwizard now-." I started to say. Someone overheard part of my sentence and shoved me forwards.

"This girl's a mediwizard!" I heard, and found myself being pushed out into the space around the poor wizard who was clutching his chest over his heart, his skin ashen and his lips slightly blue. He was having trouble breathing.

"Send for St Mungos!" I shouted to Kerry. I crouched down by the wizard, trying to calm my mind. Above the crowd Kerry sent out the formation of a red and green cross.

"Hello, what's your name?" I asked, putting my arm around the old wizard's shoulders.

"Arnie, it's my heart." I nodded.

"Okay, my name's Elixa, I'm going to try to get you a bit more comfortable so I can try to ease the pain." I suspected a heart attack. I managed to put the wizard into a more comfortable position, listening to my father's voice in my head, remembering the days he'd given me instructions about things like this during the long summers. I prayed that St Mungos would come quick.


	2. Unwanted Attention

[ Anything that's not blatant is a riddle ]   
Please read and review if you can!  
  
Author's penname: Elixa Amethyst  
Voices of the Past Part II  
Written March 2002 onwards, _pre _Order of the Phoenix.   
**All characters and things you recognise, are © JKRowling, no infringement intended.**

_All references to "mediwizard" mean healer.  
Read Part I at ALIGN="center">---------------_

**Chapter Two**

**Unwanted Attention**

The St Mungo's emergency team took Arnie quickly off to St Mungos, leaving me and Kerry with the crowd that had been watching outside Ollivanders.

"Walter Halter here, Daily Prophet, that was amazing, you just saved that wizard's life, how do you feel?" I saw Kerry forcing her way towards me.

"I just did what anyone else would have done. I just hope he recovers." Kerry put her arm around my shoulders.

"Well done Elixa." As she said it, the reporter caught my name.

"Elixa? Would that be Elixa Amethyst, now orphaned?" I looked up, the first time anyone had mentioned being orphaned to me!

"Yes, I'm Kerry Alanis her best friend, now I'm sure there's more interesting things to report about than us Mr Halter, surely?" I could tell Kerry wanted just a fraction of the limelight, but knew that Daily Prophet reporters often were pushy and exaggerated.

"Will you be going to St Mungos now?" Walter asked.

"No doubt we'll read how Arnie gets on in your story before we get a chance!" I exclaimed.

"Now really, Mr Halter, there's nothing much to report here." Kerry said.

"Good day to you Mr Halter." We gave a nod and walked quickly past the reporter, back through the crowd. Walter was already talking to the witnesses.

"Oh Merlin, why me?" I groaned quietly.

"Fate Elixa, do you think those two blokes will still be up for buying us a drink?"

"We can always see." I replied, giving a smile.

The Leaky Cauldron was slightly less busy, but still quite packed. The wizard who had called out to me earlier was not there, but Peterson was.

"Elixa Amethyst everyone, life saver!" He called. There was a round of applause from those who heard. Peterson shoved a butterbeer each into our hands, and took us to sit at a table.

"Wonderful, your parents would be proud." I felt very uncomfortable; Claude Peterson was more or less trapping me between the wall and him.

"Thank you Mr Peterson, but if I hadn't been with Kerry, I don't think I'd have been able to do it." I smiled thankfully at Kerry. Peterson looked at my friend suddenly, and he stopped being so interested in me.

"Claude Peterson, Department of Potions, Ministry of Magic. You are Kerry…?"

"Alanis." Kerry smiled. Peterson was turning on the charm and Kerry was taking it hook, line and sinker. I gave her a look that I hoped she'd interpret as a warning, but she failed to acknowledge it. I wondered if her butterbeer was spiked with love potion.

It was just before seven when Kerry left. Peterson had gone with her. The two of them had basically ignored me for most of the time we were sat there, which I wouldn't have minded, apart from it was quite boring for me. I stayed because I was trying to point out to Kerry that Peterson wasn't anything she wanted to be interested in, but I had failed miserably. I went upstairs, and found Severus letting an owl go from the window.

"You made the front page." He said, watching the owl. I saw the latest edition of the Daily Prophet on the desk and picked it up.

_**ORPHANED ELIXA SAVES FRIEND OF LATE FATHER**_

_…This afternoon outside Ollivanders, 77 year old Arnie Griffin collapsed, bystanders were shocked, and it looked as if no-one could help poor Arnie until the brave Elixa Amethyst forced her way through the crowd to his side. Her school friend Kerry Alanis, who summoned St Mungo's at Miss Amethyst's demand, accompanied her. Elixa performed what witnesses described as "healing magic to put Arnie more at ease"._

_Arnie Griffin was a good friend to Cassius Amethyst, Elixa's late father, who was murdered by the dark lord a few months ago on Ministry business. The life saving action was "in her father's memory to a beloved family friend". He is now recovering at St Mungos._

_Miss Amethyst and Miss Alanis declined that they were in anyway lifesavers, although it was clear that if they had not acted, Arnie would not be with us now…_

The article went on to discuss the reactions of witnesses, which made me sound overly praised.

"He's exaggerating." I told Severus. My uncle looked back at me from the window.

"Whatever you did, I'm proud." I gave a smile that warmed me from inside. Severus walked from the window and gave me a short hug, to show how proud he was.

"Thank you." I replied. He sat down at the desk and I took the robes I bought out my bags and hung them up.

"Kerry helped me choose them. Her parents run a robe shop." I explained. Severus gave a nod to show he approved. "You should try wearing something a different colour." I said with a grin.

"I don't think any other colour would go with my eyes Elixa." I looked round in amazement, was that a joke? Also was that a smile on my uncle's face! It changed his face so much when he smiled.

"I wish you cracked jokes more often, you look much more alive when you do." I said, giving a wishful smile.

We ate downstairs. I told him about Peterson and Kerry.

"I wouldn't be surprised if he had." Severus said, a slight frown on his face.

"Should I warn her to be careful?" I asked.

"Unless she's found out for herself, I think it might be wise to give her a warning, but be tactful." I nodded. I could just see through the door to the end of the bar, and I heard someone greet Arthur Weasley, and I soon saw the red hair. Severus seemed to stiffen, and put down his fork. I put my hand onto his hand, and gave him a look. He picked his fork up again and continued to eat, although he was listening to snippets of conversation that came through the door.

"Yes, Fred and George have both finished at Hogwarts now, Molly was slightly disappointed that they couldn't even make it to prefects. We're hoping Ron will hold the Weasley family name a bit higher instead." Severus and I were both listening.

"They've gone and set up their joke shop, hoping to buy a piece of shop floor on Diagon Alley actually, aiming high. Surprised they didn't do better at potions the things they work on over the summer, although I don't think Severus Snape would have let them get a decent mark, cold hearted man." Severus put his cutlery down and wiped his face with a napkin. I watched him stand up silently and walk to the door to the bar. I thought to stand up, but I realised I could hear everything that was being said soon after.


	3. Ministry Warning

[ Anything that's not blatant is a riddle ]   
Please read and review if you can!  
  
Author's penname: Elixa Amethyst  
Voices of the Past Part II  
Written March 2002 onwards, _pre _Order of the Phoenix.   
**All characters and things you recognise, are © JKRowling, no infringement intended.**

_All references to "mediwizard" mean healer.  
Read Part I at ALIGN="center">---------------_

Chapter Three

Ministry Warning

"Good evening Mr Weasley." I could commend Severus on greeting the wizard with some respect instead of trying to kill him first.

"Good evening Professor, we were just talking about you." Arthur Weasley said.

"So I could hear. The reason Mr Weasley that your sons only just passed potions is because they put their minds on how to damage the main potions lab more than they applied them to their studies."

"Damage a potions lab?"

"Yes Mr Weasley, I have spent the last two weeks replacing water damaged specimens and books." Severus folded his arms, his black-eyed stare constant on Arthur Weasley's face.

"Surely they bewitched the water Professor...?"

"I found that they paid less attention to their charms studies as well Mr Weasley, as they had failed to bewitch the water correctly."

"If there is damage to pay off I'm sure the two of them will oblige should you send them a bill." Mr Weasley was looking decidedly embarrassed.

"I can tell you that Ronald Weasley is no better than his twin brothers Mr Weasley, he is heading more towards being expelled before he gets a single OWL with his two friends."

"You seem to have a lot of opinions Professor, like the opinion that my son Percy is an idiot too. It has come to my attention that you threatened him not long ago, and threatening a Ministry wizard is an offence which can get you arrested." I stood up and moved to the door, sensing trouble.

"The trouble with my opinions Mr Weasley, is that they've been proven correct in the past." Severus leant forwards slightly. "Percy left my niece open to dark wizards and flew himself into a tree and you're saying I'm wrong to call him an idiot? Ginny, your youngest was foolish enough to befriend Voldemort…"

"That's enough!" Arthur Weasley was red faced as he shouted at Severus.

"I may be cold hearted in your opinion, but I do not fail students because of it!"

"Cold hearted and a death eater." Weasley muttered. I saw Severus's reach for his wand, and saw Weasley doing the same. The wizards around were backing off.

"Big mouthed, arrogant Weasleys, all the same…" Snape stepped forwards, still glaring at Mr Weasley. The Ministry wizard stepped forwards too. I took action.

"Expelliarmus!" I shouted, drawing my own wand. Seven inches of swishy willow with dragon heartstring extracted two wands from the hands of Severus and Arthur and gave them to me.

"Who…?" Arthur Weasley started, looking at me.

"Elixa- give them back." Severus said between gritted teeth.

"No. I don't want either of you getting into trouble. You've both said enough, so I demand you settle your differences before you disgrace yourselves further."

"Is this-?" Weasley asked.

"My niece, yes." Severus replied.

"Trying for the front page again Elixa?" Peterson had entered the Leaky Cauldron again. He came up behind me. "I don't honestly think that these two could ever shake hands really. They're as bad as each other. Come on Arthur, I've just had Molly sticking her head through the fireplace asking if you're here." Peterson plucked Mr Weasley's wand from my hand and marched the red faced Ministry wizard from the Leaky Cauldron. I walked back into the room where we'd been eating, handed Severus back his wand and sat back down to the food. We finished in silence; I guessed he was still smarting from the fact I'd disarmed him.

Severus remained completely silent until we reached our room overlooking Diagon Alley.

"Alright, have a go at me." I said, sitting down on the chair beside the window.

"Have a go at you?" Severus asked. "I am glad now that you did do that, the repercussions should I have done something would have been a large problem for us and for Dumbledore." I looked pleasantly surprised. There was a tapping at the window, and I opened it to let a small owl fly in. It landed on the desk and Severus took the parchment from it and handed me the owl.

"It's exhausted, give it a drink and some food." I nodded, and poured some water into a bowl from the pot jug beside me and then retrieved some owl pellets from my belongings. I'd had to buy some to reward the owls who sent any letters I had written, otherwise the school owls often got very funny about taking letters. The tiny owl was relieved to have a meal in the warm. Outside rain began to fall, blurring the sunset. Severus hadn't spoken. I looked round at him and saw a very angry look on his face.

"Bad news?" I asked. He held the letter out to me to read. It was from the Ministry.

_Professor Severus Snape,_

_The Ministry has received a report of a disturbance at the premises named: The Leaky Cauldron at around nine PM this evening between yourself and a Ministry wizard. We are hereby giving you an official warning, that any further disturbances will authorise any ministry wizard to arrest you on the spot._

"Is this because of my father still?" I asked. Severus nodded.

"Weasley…"

"No, Peterson." I said, pointing out the letterhead. It had come originally from the department of potions, via the department of misuse of magic. Severus nodded, crossed over the room and glared out into the rain.

"I don't think we'll be letting you out tonight little one, think you might be drowned if we did." I told the little bundle of feathers. It pecked affectionately at my finger.

"Mind it doesn't draw blood, don't want you to turn into an owl, but I suppose you'd be more useful than a cat." I gave a smile.

"Well, we'll just have to be a bit more careful now, both of us." I said quietly, almost covered by a break of thunder as the storm arrived. The room darkened and I watched my uncle's silhouette against the window each time the lightning flashed.

"Mum used to be scared of storms." I remembered.

"I don't remember her ever being scared." Severus replied, watching with his black eyes. I drew my wand and gently lit the lamps around the room so I could see the furniture without the lightning having to light the room instead.

"What of storms or anything?"

"Storms, but she was pretty unflappable your mother, a lot like you."

"Unflappable, yeah right, the harmless creature in the lab wasn't found by unflappable Elixa."

"Unflappable Elixa survived the cruciatus curse, and being turned into a cat."

"Touché." I replied.


	4. Little Flumen

[ Anything that's not blatant is a riddle ]   
Please read and review if you can!  
  
Author's penname: Elixa Amethyst  
Voices of the Past Part II  
Written March 2002 onwards, _pre _Order of the Phoenix.   
**All characters and things you recognise, are © JKRowling, no infringement intended.**

_All references to "mediwizard" mean healer.  
Read Part I at ALIGN="center">---------------_

**Chapter Four**

**Little Flumen**

"And this is home." I emerged from the fireplace into what appeared to be a living room, or Severus's interpretation of one. I stood up properly and looked around myself at the room.

"Home, it's going to take a while to get used to that word coming from you." I said, taking in the room. Severus moved away, heading up some steps. I realised soon afterwards that the house was an old windmill, converted into a house. I looked up, seeing how high the rooms were. It seemed a complete contrast to what Snape had at Hogwarts. There was sunlight coming in from windows!

"Are you coming?" Came a voice. I snapped back, realising Severus had left the room and followed him up the steps, which revealed that he'd walked into a kitchen.

"Not what I expected… but amazing all the same." I told him, still looking round myself.

"You wait until you see the village, then you'll wonder." Something told me that I he wasn't lying in the slight smile that appeared on his face.

"Welcome home Elixa. You've been a long time coming, shame your mother couldn't be with you too."

I spent the morning looking round the house. Quite a few of the rooms were just full of books on shelves. Some of the titles I recognised, Snape often mentioning them in his lessons, others were obviously in different languages. I wasn't much of a multi-linguist myself, and I wondered if Severus was. The rooms were set on a spiral, I suspected it was a very complicated piece of magic that had created the effect. The room just below the top was a fully equipped potion lab, where Severus seemed to be in the middle of some research. At the top of the windmill was where Severus obviously came to think and consult the stars. Sunlight came in from all angles, creating a warm atmosphere that I would expect to be stuffy, but wasn't. As my family had lived amongst a Muggle community, there had been little space for any magical alterations to the house. I heard voices coming from lower down in the house and walked quietly down to see if I recognised the voices.

"Good to see you again Severus. Got someone staying with you?" The voice was male and cheery. I couldn't hear Severus's reply as he answered in his normal soft tones which kept any class listening. I wondered if I should go down.

"Your niece? Oh we wondered, read about her in the Prophet. You must introduce her to Susan, she's been so bored without anyone to talk to all year." I put my head to one side as I listened.

"How is Susan, any signs at all?" Snape asked.

"Very little. We try to look positive about her progress, what there is, but having a squib in the family is difficult with two grown up wizards for brothers. She's been determined to get into Hogwarts whatever it takes. Poor girl."

"I'll mention it to Elixa. I wonder where she is now anyway…" I walked down the remaining flight of stairs.

"Here I am." I announced. Severus looked up from creating two cups of coffee and created three seeing me.

"Timothy, this is Elixa. Elixa this is Timothy North, my- our neighbour." Severus corrected himself. I gave a smile.

"Hello Mr North." I said, shaking his hand, performing the routine I'd been used to with meeting ministry wizards at home.

"Elixa, call me Timothy." I gave a polite smile back.

"We were just saying you should get on with Susan, Timothy's daughter. She's about your age I think." Severus said, placing a cup of coffee before his neighbour and then drawing out a chair beside him for me. I sat down, transformed the coffee into tea and listened.

"Susan's not at Hogwarts, she's not really magical." I gave a slightly sorry look.

"Must be tough."

"It is. She's determined to get in to Hogwarts. She's the youngest person in the village, all the rest of us are old folk like me and Severus."

"You speak for yourself there I'm afraid Timothy." Severus said before drinking some coffee. Timothy reminded me very much of Professor Lupin, his robes were worn, and he had tufts of grey hair either side of a bald head.

"No doubt you'll see her this afternoon around the village." Timothy continued. I saw Severus give a slightly evil smile and wondered what I was in for.

After lunch Severus and I set out to the village shop. It was my first glimpse of Little Flumen. Several people stopped us on our way to talk to Severus, and to be introduced to me. We didn't meet Susan, but Severus said that was only to expected, the North family ate later than we had generally. The shop was on the main street of the village, beside a post office and a small inn. The whole atmosphere reminded me of a slightly quieter Diagon Alley or Hogsmeade. The inn was called the Wizard's Arms and the sign swung gently in the wind, the painting worn by time. Inside the shop I realised that it was bewitched so that there was more room inside.

"Ahh Professor!" The African accent came from the counter, where I saw an African witch dressed in red and yellow robes, a huge smile on her face.

"Tituba." Severus greeted in his normal soft voice.

"There's been talk of your return since Hogwarts term ended Sir, and Mr North and I were just saying how you could be bringing a young witch with you." The witch was looking straight at me. Between her hands materialised two large brown paper bags full of groceries.

"I made sure there was enough for two just in case." She smiled, pushing the bags towards us.

"Thank you Tituba." We left the shop without another word, each of us carrying a bag.

"Do I get the feeling she doesn't know I'm related to you?" I asked.

"Tituba is winding you up. She's the village gossip. Nothing gets past her. Don't talk to her unless necessary." For the first time since arriving, I sensed hostility. I didn't expect Severus to be entirely at ease in such a community, in fact I'd have expected him to be very much more solitary. I looked from Severus to the road ahead and caught sight of a girl in Muggle clothes, her long blonde hair obscuring her face, and her hands were to her face beneath her hair.

"Susan." Severus informed me. I watched as two eyes emerged from beneath the mass of golden hair.

"Good afternoon Professor." A voice spoke from beneath it too; meaning there must be a mouth under there too.

"Susan, what have you done?" Severus asked. There was a pause, and then the hands revealed the face.

"I was trying to create a potion to cure boils to prove I was getting better…" Susan's face was covered in boils. I saw her hands were too.

"I would cure them for you now, but I think you'll learn a better lesson if you help create the potion yourself. I'm sure Elixa will show you." Susan looked at me gratefully.

"Would you?" She asked. She had a kind of pathetic sounding voice.

"Of course. Did you put the porcupine quills in before taking it off the fire?" I asked. Susan nodded, I smiled kindly and she followed.

"Come on lets get you sorted out." I said.


	5. Susan

Anything that's not blatant is a riddle  
Please read and review if you can!  
  
Author's penname: Elixa Amethyst  
Voices of the Past Part II  
Written March 2002 onwards, _pre _Order of the Phoenix.  
**All characters and things you recognise, are © JKRowling, no infringement intended.**

_All references to "mediwizard" mean healer.  
Read Part I at ?storyid1672635_

--------------- 

**Chapter Five**

**Susan**

It didn't take long for me to show Susan how to create the potion correctly. She was grateful to have the boils removed. I showed her how it worked on one of her hands and then Severus went to remove them by a spell and then stopped.

"Why don't you…?" He asked.

"I've never done it before, I don't want to make a mistake." I said. Severus compromised by healing Susan's face, leaving one hand for me.

"If I mess up I'm really sorry." I told Susan, and then followed Severus's instructions carefully to how to produce the charm. I was pleased when I saw it work.

"Wow." Susan breathed, looking the hand over. "I wish I could do that." I looked up at her face and something inside me felt determined to help.

Susan showed me the river that ran through the village. We stood on the bridge looking into the river water.

"It's been my only want since I was tiny, to have magical powers. The only thing I've ever shown was a couple of sparks, which Muggles have taken as static electricity." I nodded, looking at the crystal clear water running over the stones in the river as I listened to Susan.

"You must know a lot about Muggles though." I suggested.

"I go to a Muggle school. It's another boarding school but I come back here for weekends. I've never been able to bring anyone back here, and all the other young magical people have grown up and moved away here."

"It happens so quickly doesn't it? It'll be my last year at Hogwarts next year." Susan looked amazed.

"You must know loads then."

"A fair amount yes, but I've still a whole load to learn." Susan slumped against the side of the bridge and looked glum. "Don't give up trying Susan." I gently said, patting her hand with mine.

For the following couple of weeks, Susan and I got to know each other better and spent most of the days out somewhere in the village, normally by the riverside. Severus was hard at work on a potion at the top of the house, occasionally he'd mention something about it in the evenings, and a couple of times I'd had to extract him from his lab because he'd got so frustrated with a potion that he'd caused magical accidents. I'd got quite good at ducking when a bottle broke from his frustration on the shelves above my head. The mark on his arm hadn't given him any trouble as far as I knew. It seemed too peaceful which was a curious thought that I'd mull over before I slept many a night.

"It just feels a bit wrong now, like something terrible is lurking, waiting to pounce." I told Susan as we lay on our backs in the sun, catching its rays while listening to the river flowing below our feet.

"You want a bit of action do you?" Susan asked in a suspicious sounding way. I rolled my head to look at her. She did the same, and I saw a crafty grin across her face.

"Follow me." She said, standing up. I scrambled to follow her.

We walked for almost a quarter hour, while I demanded what she was up to. We followed the river downstream. Susan signalled for silence and ducked down behind some bushes. I followed.

"Look over there." She told me nodding to further along the bank. I put my eyes slowly above the top of the hedge and saw a dark, fire damaged wooden hut, not much different to Hagrid's hut at Hogwarts. From the back of the house a line of black and dark green plants ran down to the water outlining a garden, or plot of land behind the house. It looked quiet. I lowered to Susan again.

"What about it?" I asked.

"I dare you to go in there… wandless." I frowned. "It's burnt out, but haunted. I dare you to walk out into the back garden and wave your arms and then walk back through the house to here." I looked at her suspiciously.

"What gives me the feeling you're not telling me the whole truth?" I asked.

"The other magic children used to go in."

"I bet with their wands."

"You said you were up for adventure?"

"Not that isn't safe."

"How do you know until you get in there?" I wasn't one not to take up a dare.

"Alright. But if there's something in there that could do something nasty to me, I'm coming straight back out or you'll have to answer to Professor Snape." Susan nodded. I handed her my wand and walked out from behind the bushes. What could be so scary about a burnt out hut? I realised this could be Susan's way of softening me up so I'd do things that were more risky because this one would be easy. I'd show her. I walked in the front of the hut and into the gloom. I stopped to let my eyes adjust from the light outside to the dark inside. I could see the light coming in from the back door, lighting a wooden floor covered in ashes and fragments of glass. I crossed over and walked out into the back garden. I waved my arms and looked towards Susan.

"That was easy!" I shouted back. Suddenly Susan started to shout something I couldn't hear. It sounded like…

"Behind you!" Susan shouted running from behind the bushes and pointing. I turned and saw one of the plants reaching out for me. I leapt back and was seized by another plant.

"Susan! Do something!" I shouted, trying to identify the plants. If it was devil's snare… but it didn't look like it.

"I can't!" Susan shouted back. I remembered she couldn't do any magic. Great, just what I needed, a pathetic squib.

"Give me my wand." I raised my hand and the plant, binding both my arms to my sides foiled my plan.

"Go and get help Susan!" I shouted, trying to free myself. Susan ran back a few paces, holding my wand in her hand, and then turned round to look at me again.

"I'm coming Elixa!" She shouted, running towards me in a determined way.

"No Susan, get help!" I shouted back, but to no avail. Susan pointed my wand violently at the plant. A great beam of light flew from the end, throwing the plant completely as it was engulfed in a ball of light. The grip loosened and I wriggled free. I rolled out from beneath the branches, and saw that Susan was still pointing my wand and the plant, the ball of light still surrounding it. Her face was amazed, shocked. I ran over to her and found her shaking. Suddenly there was a huge explosion from the plant, and I turned to see it explode, sending charred branches everywhere. I covered Susan, grabbing the wand and her hand.

"I cast a spell…." Susan said weakly, and promptly fainted beneath my cloak.


	6. The New North Family Witch

Anything that's not blatant is a riddle  
Please read and review if you can!  
  
Author's penname: Elixa Amethyst  
Voices of the Past Part II  
Written March 2002 onwards, _pre _Order of the Phoenix.  
**All characters and things you recognise, are © JKRowling, no infringement intended.**

_All references to "mediwizard" mean healer.  
Read Part I at ?storyid1672635_

--------------- 

**Chapter Six**

**The New North Family Witch**

Footsteps and shouting came from the direction the bush Susan had been hiding behind. I looked up and saw Severus and Timothy running as fast as they could towards us, several more wizards behind them.

"What happened?" Severus exclaimed, I stood up, revealing Susan who was still on the floor from fainting.

"She cast a spell on the plant, overpowered it… she had my wand." I said, trying to work out if what had just happened was real, or I had imagined it.

"Susan!" Timothy North was by his daughter, shaking her shoulders gently. The once squib came round as he did.

"Dad?" She asked.

"Thank Merlin!" He exclaimed. Severus asked for my wand, which I handed to him after I prised it from Susan's grip.

"Prior Incantato!" Snape said, and the ghost of the spell I'd seen Susan cast emerged from my wand, proving it was Susan. Severus looked at me in an odd way.

"She cast this by herself?" I nodded, and went on to explain how it happened, all about the dare, everything. Timothy had his arm around his daughter, who was sat up, still on the ground. He and the other wizards who'd seen the light and hurried to find out what it was, listened intently. They wanted to know how a squib of sixteen years could have cast such a spell. The only thing was I had no idea how either.

We returned to Timothy North's house, and found a cat sitting on their doorstep. I recognised the spectacle markings and so did Severus.

"Minerva." He greeted, opening the door.

"I didn't want to appear too noticeably in case I disturbed the village. How did you get here so fast anyway?" She asked, and promptly turned into her human self. She saw me and then nodded to Severus with a quiet oh. Severus introduced everyone once we were inside the North house.

"Timothy, Susan, and everybody else, Professor McGonagall, deputy headmistress and colleague at Hogwarts. Minerva, Susan North, Timothy North her father." Professor McGonagall looked carefully at Susan through her wire rimmed spectacles.

"Miss North I am going to ask you to perform any magic you can with a wand."

"She can use mine." I offered. McGonagall shook her head.

"That is very kind Elixa, but we have to check with another wand." I nodded and stepped back. Minerva materialised a box on the table beside Susan.

"Mr Ollivander has found the wand you picked up when you were very young when one of your brothers were in his shop." Susan opened the box at the deputy headmistress's request and stood up. She looked around herself and her eyes fell back on the box the wand had come out of.

"In your own time Miss North." Susan took a deep breath. Everyone in the room was in suspense. If Susan managed to show she was magical, then she could go to Hogwarts, even though she would be old enough to go into the sixth year when I'd be in the seventh.

"Wingardium Leviosa." Before our eyes the box raised from the table. Susan looked amazed too, her concentration great though. She raised the box higher, concentrating hard. Slowly she let it down and the box landed gently on the table.

"I did it." Susan breathed. She glanced around herself. I blinked first, and then glanced with her at the faces of the wizards and witches present. McGonagall looked surprised, Severus looked as if he smelled something suspicious. Mr North's eyes were full of tears, swelling with pride.

"Anything else you'd like to show us Miss North?" Severus asked, folding his arms, the suspicious look on his face deepening.

"I don't know any other spells Professor, I just remember my brothers showing me this one the first Christmas holiday after I would have gone into the first year at Hogwarts."

"Miss North, how sure are you that your magic is your own?" Minerva asked. Susan swallowed and looked at me.

"Unless I took it from Elixa… I think it must be." I gave a nervous look. It was the same feeling I'd had when I was a cat. What if she had, and I was now the squib? I took my wand and pointed at the box that Susan had just levitated. To my relief it turned into a wizard's hat. I heard Severus and Minerva give a slight breath of relief as I did. I stepped forwards and picked up the hat to check. I turned and placed it on Susan's head.

"Welcome to the world of witchcraft and wizardry fully Susan." McGonagall said slowly.

"I don't like it." Severus said fiercely when he was alone with Minerva and I.

"What, that she's no longer a squib?" I asked.

"Elixa not even the likes of Kwikspell could have changed Susan." Minerva told me. I swallowed and looked to Severus. He rolled up his left sleeve and frowned, rolling the sleeve back down.

"Nothing." He told us.

"How could it be possible?" I asked, knowing very well that that was the precise question on everyone's mind. I just voiced it out loud. Dumbledore had the necklace…

"We don't know, but one thing we do know, is we're going to keep a very close eye on Susan North…" Minerva told me.

Within hours the news had been spread around the village and I was face to face with Walter Halter once again.

"We meet again Miss Amethyst." He said. I gave an unimpressed look, something I'd been perfecting by watching Severus, who had his own very good one. The village was preparing for a party in celebration of the news. Above me were strings of bunting changing colour and playing music, fairy lights and other decorations. Someone had produced some huge fireworks further down the road. I glanced behind me and saw Severus standing with his arms folded talking to a witch in rainbow coloured robes, her hair braided. He caught my eye and then went back to talking to the witch. Walter Halter had moved away. I looked over to where Minerva was sampling some punch that appeared to have been created by Tituba. I swept away, heading for the North's house. One of her brothers was standing outside, who I'd never met.

"Hello, you must be Elixa Amethyst then." He said. I nodded.

"Either Bobby or Christopher?" I asked.

"Bobby, Christopher is covering the back of the house." I gave a smile. The two North brothers were doing their best to make sure that no one got in before Susan was ready. Bobby let me past though.


	7. The Celebrations

Anything that's not blatant is a riddle  
Please read and review if you can!  
  
Author's penname: Elixa Amethyst  
Voices of the Past Part II  
Written March 2002 onwards, _pre _Order of the Phoenix.  
**All characters and things you recognise, are © JKRowling, no infringement intended.**

_All references to "mediwizard" mean healer.  
Read Part I at ?storyid1672635_

--------------- 

**Chapter Seven**

**The Celebrations**

Susan was in her room with her mother. Timothy waited outside, pacing the landing, one hand to his bottom lip and chin.

"Mr North." I greeted. Timothy looked up. "Something on your mind?" I asked.

"What if it is just temporary Elixa, what if it's not real?" He asked, his face full of worry.

"Let's just hope it isn't. It appears pretty genuine to us all, including Professor McGonagall. Just let her enjoy it if it turns out to be temporary." He nodded and knocked on the door.

"Room in there for me?" I called through the door. Mrs North opened the door and ushered me in. She was like a more grown up version of Susan, but wasn't quite so pathetic as her daughter was. Susan turned from the mirror, wearing wine red robes and the black hat I'd turned the wand box into. There was a big grin across her face.

"Wow." I said in barely a whisper.

"Do I look right?" She asked, looking me up and down once to compare herself. I was wearing the robes I brought in Diagon Alley with Kerry. I asked her a question about the first time we'd met, and the way we'd treated the warts. She answered it without a pause giving the correct answer. It reassured me slightly. I created a pattern of stars and crescent moons on her black hat in a red glittering material to perfect her look.

"Shall we let your father see?" Mrs North asked. She opened the door and Timothy gasped with joy, running forwards to embrace his youngest.

The celebrations lasted well into the night, dancing, feasting, music, and many spells.

"I wonder what house I'll be put into?" Susan asked excitedly. I shrugged. She seemed very Hufflepuff to me. Both her brothers had been Gryffindor.

"Mum was Ravenclaw, and Dad was Gryffindor. Do you think I'll be like your mum and Professor Snape, and be in the same house as my brothers?" I swallowed, trying to disguise it by drinking some pumpkin juice immediately after.

"I don't know, you'll have to see what the sorting hat says." I said quickly. The summer was going to be a big enough shock having to live with Severus, but having a squib who cast her first spell using my wand was going to just make things worse. When darkness fell, I slipped away from the celebrations and walked along to the bridge over the river. I stood looking into the water, sighing and throwing pebbles into the water from the pile I'd created with my wand on the side of the bridge.

"Twenty seven stones, I can wait no longer standing behind you if you're not going to talk to yourself I'll have to say something to find out." Severus made me jump. I looked over my shoulder and saw him standing with his arms folded against the other side of the bridge. He straightened and walked over to where I stood. I turned and looked back at the water. I said nothing in reply. Severus blinked once as he waited studying my face. He reached out a hand and used one long finger to bring my hair away from my face. I blinked hard, trying to hide my emotions. Severus's hand rested on my shoulder. I swallowed, starting to look away.

"Elixa…" He said softly. I couldn't hold it any longer, tears broke from their prisons behind my eyes and Severus saw them. He drew me towards him, and I sobbed into his robes. He waited. His arm around me, and the other hand on the back of my head.

"What is it?" He asked almost silently.

"Not being able to understand. Frustration, confusion." I told him, speaking for the first time since I'd arrived at the bridge. I pulled my head away from him and looked up at his face. He looked down at me, his eyes as dark and unreadable as ever.

"You get used to it." He told me, his expression and tone of voice telling me he was speaking from experience. I closed my eyes, swallowed and nodded.

We returned to the celebrations a while later, where things seemed to be quietening. Minerva was talking with Mrs North across the table, and Susan was dancing with Bobby.

"Where did you two go?" Minerva asked as we sat down beside her.

"Just to get some quiet and think things through." I told her, filling a cup with pumpkin juice.

"Anything changed?" Severus asked. McGonagall shook her head.

"No. We've got a ministry wizard amongst us though." She indicated whom with her eyes.

"Talking to Mr North?" I asked. She nodded. Peterson… What was he doing here? He was potions department… I shot a look at Severus who looked more like I felt.

"He gets about a bit doesn't he?" I asked. Severus nodded, and got up.

"If he goes near Peterson, please help me to restrain him." I asked Minerva. "He's on an official warning after a tiff with Arthur Weasley." Severus didn't go near him, but instead seemed to be heading back to the windmill.

"What's he up to?" Minerva asked. I shrugged. Severus soon disappeared into the darkness in the village outskirts, his black robes disguising him perfectly.

Professor McGonagall and I waited, watching Susan and the others from the table, waiting for Severus to return. I debated whether to go after him, should he be in some sort of difficulty.

"Severus is used to looking after himself Elixa. We'll give him another ten minutes." Peterson was still in view, so we knew the two of them weren't trying to kill each other in the roads behind the one we were sitting in.

"Won't be too long before we are back at Hogwarts will it?" I asked.

"Depends if Severus plans to be back by August 1st. Normally he's pretty prompt to prepare and talk with Dumbledore. You'll be coming with him or travelling with Susan then?" I paused.

"I don't know… I probably will come before term starts, I have a feeling that spending time here with Susan like this will start to get on my nerves just that bit too much." Minerva gave a smile.

"That bad is she?"

"Err… well slightly pathetic, but persistent mind. Determined to get things right, but weak in that she appears to give up easily to get attention and help."

"I'll bare that in mind. Here comes Severus now." He was striding out, cloak billowing behind him and face stormy.

"What's happened?" I asked.

"Nothing particularly, I'm still suspicious that's all, and it doesn't help that Peterson is here. I've had enough of him lately…" Severus sat down again. "He's a Voldemort follower, I'm sure of it."

"And what proof have you got of that Severus?" Minerva asked.

"That's the problem," Severus snarled. "I've got no proof apart from gut feeling." He looked over to where Peterson stood with Mr North still, his black eyes reflecting the flames of the bonfire in a murderous way.


	8. Albania for a Holiday?

Anything that's not blatant is a riddle  
Please read and review if you can!  
  
Author's penname: Elixa Amethyst  
Voices of the Past Part II  
Written March 2002 onwards, _pre _Order of the Phoenix.  
**All characters and things you recognise, are © JKRowling, no infringement intended.**

_All references to "mediwizard" mean healer.  
Read Part I at ?storyid1672635_

--------------- 

**Chapter Eight**

**Albania for a Holiday?**

Timothy announced the news mid morning a couple of weeks later in the kitchen of the windmill. Severus just stared at the wood of the table and then did the same to the neighbour's face. Inside me, my stomach felt as if it had dropped out. It was a very bad feeling.

"Albania?" Severus asked again, a certain amount of disbelief in his voice. Mr North nodded enthusiastically.

"To see the dragons. We've wanted to go for years. Now Susan's no longer a squib, we thought why not?"

"I can tell you why not." Severus said. Timothy frowned.

"Voldemort." Severus and I said firmly together. Timothy waved a hand at us.

"Oh for Merlin's sake, he's not there anymore." Severus and I exchanged worried looks. It was going to take at least a massacre to persuade Timothy otherwise.

The date to leave was in the next few days, and we tried our best to persuade the Norths not to go. It was in vain, as they were stuck on going, especially as the wizard travel agency was doing cheap holidays since the popularity of Albania had reduced considerably since the return of the Dark Lord. They left early one morning before anyone was up, surprising the lot of us. Severus was annoyed beyond belief when he went through the house finding they'd gone.

"Timothy you fool, you'll be a sitting duck for Voldemort."

"Look at this." I said, picking up a letter from one of the drawers of the desk which was open in Mr North's study.

"Elixa!" Severus snapped, annoyed at my prying. His arms were folded and his eyes flashed dangerously.

"No listen, it's from Peterson, about the holiday… he's encouraging them to go…" Severus snatched the parchment with his long fingers and read quickly through it. He uttered a colloquial beneath his breath that he repeated in a louder voice when he finished the letter.

"Albania!" McGonagall's voice was surprised; her head was poking from the fireplace.

"Can I come in?" She asked, rubbing her neck as if had a crick in it. Severus stood back to let her emerge from the fireplace. He then picked up some more powder and threw it into the fire.

"Professor Dumbledore, are you available?" He called in the fire. I took Minerva's cloak from her.

"Sorry, I'd just got in that was all, and it's not particularly the warmest day in Scotland." I just gave a slight smile and went to hang up her cloak. As I was hanging it up, I heard the deep tones of Dumbledore's voice greeting Severus and Minerva. I went back into the room and saw Severus pacing up and down, agitated. Dumbledore was stood by the fire, reading the parchment I'd found in the North family house.

"Peterson, Claude Peterson?" Dumbledore questioned.

"Yes Professor." I told him.

"Good morning Elixa by the way." Dumbledore said, glancing between the letter and me.

"Good morning Professor." I managed to catch Snape's eye, and signalled to the kitchen. He shook his head. I sat down beside Professor McGonagall.

"He's in the potions department, yet he turns up at the celebrations, and he's there in the Leaky Cauldron." Severus told the headmaster. Suddenly I picked up on something.

"He was interested in Kerry, a lot when we were there. The minute I introduced them."

"Have you heard from Miss Alanis in the last few weeks?" Dumbledore asked, his voice grave.

"Once, although I've sent her five owls. She replied about two weeks ago." It struck me suddenly that Kerry hadn't been answering.

"Could I see the letter she sent last please Elixa?" I nodded, and left the room to find it. I had a horrible feeling that Peterson had got to Kerry like Timothy and family, and that if he were to do with Voldemort, we'd be in a very difficult situation. I opened my trunk and sorted through the letters. I might as well take the whole lot of them down, I thought. An owl flew through the open window over my head. I ducked and then looked up. It was an owl I almost dreaded to see, Hedwig, Harry's owl.

"Oh Great Merlin." I said.

_Dear Elixa,_

_I remembered the promise, although you might have thought I had forgotten because you hadn't heard from me, and I haven't heard from you. I did dream about Voldemort last night, Sirius has been trying to get hold of Dumbledore all morning, but he doesn't seem to be around, have you heard from him?_

_Anyway, I dreamt about Voldemort and Pettigrew, he's alive, but he looks terrible. They were talking about a squib and how they could use them to aid them. I wasn't sure if the squib was male or female, it could be the one that turned magical all of a sudden… weren't you somehow involved in that? Or it could be Filch, he's a squib too, but he keeps it very quiet._

_I sent Hedwig straight away hoping you'd be with Dumbledore if I was lucky. If you do see him in the next day, please show him this letter, and make contact._

_Yours,_

_Harry_

It was an anxious wait to hear something from Albania. Several Ministry wizards had gone straight there, hunting for the Norths. The family was fine, and Ministry wizards were bringing them home immediately. They weren't too disappointed, having seen a couple of native Albanian dragons.

I didn't hear from Harry again, and all too soon it was the end of July, and Severus was talking about packing.

"Where did the summer go?" I asked, helping him clear the lab upstairs.

"Into this." Severus said, holding a bottle up. Inside was a silver coloured liquid, resembling mercury.

"And what, may I ask is that?" Severus looked down at me with his unreadable black eyes.  
"The nearest I've got to perfecting cat version of wolfsbane." I looked amazed.

"But surely I don't need that?"

"You might if someone decides to have a cat in Slytherin this year, that likes you." I gave a smile.

"I can see what you mean when they say that no-one else could teach potions if you got the job as Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher." I told Severus, and got back to clearing up.


	9. Start of Term

Anything that's not blatant is a riddle  
Please read and review if you can!  
  
Author's penname: Elixa Amethyst  
Voices of the Past Part II  
Written March 2002 onwards, _pre _Order of the Phoenix.  
**All characters and things you recognise, are © JKRowling, no infringement intended.**

_All references to "mediwizard" mean healer.  
Read Part I at ?storyid1672635_

--------------- 

Chapter Nine

Start of Term

Quirrell was still very secretive about his new teaching post at the school. Whatever it was, he was as pleased as pie. I'd been determined to get it out of him before I'd turned into a cat briefly at the start of the holidays, but had not got it out of him. Now it seemed he'd been practising secrecy all summer!

"You'll just have to wait until the start of term Miss Amethyst." He kept saying. I didn't have to wait long; term arrived very quickly indeed. Bringing Susan back to me after my month away from her, which had been so nice.

This year I was proud to be asked to be a prefect. Not many people got asked from Slytherin, and I was prepared to survive the stick from my house for being one. After all, they say the witches and wizards who go bad come from Slytherin, but they don't say that all the witches and wizards in Slytherin go bad… The head girl and boy were chosen from Gryffindor and Ravenclaw this year. I was invited to the staff briefing on the morning of the start of term.

"The students are going to be here at around seven this evening, the train has left on time, and as far as we know, everyone is on it. We're just waiting for confirmation of that. Should anyone have missed the train, Professor Flitwick and Professor Sprout, you will be in charge of their arrangements. Madame Pomfrey, we are aware that one of the students in Hufflepuff will be arriving in a less than healthy state, so you will be needed at Hogsmeade at half past six with Hagrid to meet the train. Mr Filch, Hagrid I believe the boats are ready to go for the first years? Good, Professor Snape, Professor Quirrell, you will be in charge of any serious incidents which need detaining, or dispersing. All other staff will be needed to make sure the belongings of students are delivered to the right dormitories and that things generally run smoothly. May I remind you of our special student, Miss Susan North who is joining us at 6th year age, and will be receiving tuition with the first years until further notice. Are there any questions?" McGonagall paused for breath, casting one eye quickly down her list and then round at the staff.

"Good, staff briefing is finished, you may get back to your duties." I made my way over to Professor Quirrell. I had to remember to call everyone Professor all the time now.

"So, it's the start of term, going to spill the beans Professor?" I asked.

"Patience Miss Amethyst, all will be revealed at the feast." I left the staff room soon afterwards and went to unpack my trunk in the girl's seventh year dormitory.

"Oh, prefect for me this year is it?" My head snapped up from where I was putting my toothbrush above the sink. The mirror smiled down at me.

"Yes, they're trusting me." The mirror gave a short laugh and I moved away.

My first duty as prefect was to stand at the door and direct student traffic coming in from Hogsmeade in horseless carriages. Hermione Granger joined me soon after and I gave a nod to Harry as he passed with Ron, who no doubt wanted to avoid gaudium berries this year. It wasn't long before the new students were reported to have arrived by boat safely, and I joined the feast with Hermione. The bewitched ceiling of the hall was a deep purple-blue, covered in stars. Kerry had saved a place next to her, and opposite Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle.

"Hufflepuff… Hufflepuff… please let it be Hufflepuff…" I muttered, crossing my fingers. The doors opened and McGonagall came in, followed by the first years. Amongst them was Susan, who looked out of place by her age and height amongst the first years. She looked as if she'd died and gone to heaven by her expression. This would be the last sorting that I'd see in my school life, and all I wanted was to see Susan put in Hufflepuff. The sorting hat recited a slightly new poem, and then the sorting began. There were several new additions to Ravenclaw, quite a considerable number to Gryffindor, and to us, and a scattering to Hufflepuff.

"North, Susan." McGonagall called from her list. There was a slight gasp of air from most of the students, similar to that when Harry Potter was sorted. Susan walked up nervously, and sat down on the stool. McGonagall placed the sorting hat on Susan's head and the chant of Hufflepuff became even stronger in my mind.

"Slytherin!" The sorting hat shouted. There was amazement from all sides. Susan gave a slight smile, shock on her face too. She joined the end of the Slytherin table and continued to watch the sorting. I shot a glance towards the staff. Severus looked slightly amazed and watched Susan carefully for a few minutes, probably planning how to keep her quiet about us to the other Slytherins. Once the sorting was over, the feast began.

"So, come on, it can't have been that wonderful having to stay here for some of your holidays, and what about Susan, is it true her family took her to Albania?" Kerry asked. I just swallowed.

"Elixa, you okay?" Draco asked. I snapped my head up and looked down the table towards Susan, who was watching me. I broke away and looked to Draco.

"Fine, just a bit of a shock, I'd have expected her to be in Hufflepuff. Just a warning, she'll want to be in our gang, but she might rub you up the wrong way, she'd probably pass Muggle studies if she took the test this minute too."

The feast ended with the start of term notices. Dumbledore got to his feet and his eyes twinkled in the light of the thousands of floating candles.

"We have a new staff appointment this year, some of the students may remember Professor Quirrell standing in for a few of the staff occasionally last year. This year, Professor Quirrell will be teaching Careers and will be continuing to stand in for teachers should it be necessary." Kerry smothered her mouth to stop herself from laughing.

"Also, we welcome our new head boy and girl and prefects, and to Miss North, our fast track student." I saw Susan blush slightly. "First years should note that the forest in the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. Mr Filch would also like to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors. Madame Hooch would like to tell you all that Quidditch trials will begin in the third week of term, slightly later than normal. That will be all. Prefects, please escort the first years to your common rooms and dormitories as it will soon be time for bed." I stood up and moved along the table, mirroring what other prefects in the other houses were doing.

"Slytherin first years, follow me, and you Susan." The newest students looked up at me as if I was something very scary. "Follow me and you won't get lost." I said, letting a slight smile appear on my face. I avoided Susan's eyes. The new students followed me up to the entrance hall and then down into the dungeons. Torches that burnt yellow, white then green dimly lit the corridors this year.

"Salamander." I said to the wall with the hidden door in. It opened and I led the group through into the common room, and to the first year's dormitory. I counted heads and beds and took it that Susan would be staying in the sixth year girl's dormitory.

"Right, unpack your things, and then to bed. Breakfast is at half past seven. I'll come and take you down for breakfast tomorrow morning." I felt a tugging at the sleeve of my robes, and looked down. A small first year boy was holding up a rat to me. I frowned.  
"What?" I snapped.

"I trapped Timmy's tail in my trunk…" The Slytherin first year said in a worried way. I sighed, and pulled out my wand, tapped the tail once while I said the charm and the broken tail repaired itself. It wasn't something I'd expect from a Slytherin, first year or any year, but I suppose they'd toughen in the first week.

"There you are. Be more careful with it in future." I turned away and left with Susan.

"You'll be with the sixth years I expect." I told her, leading her further down the corridor.


	10. The Truth is Out…

Anything that's not blatant is a riddle  
Please read and review if you can!  
  
Author's penname: Elixa Amethyst  
Voices of the Past Part II  
Written March 2002 onwards, _pre _Order of the Phoenix.  
**All characters and things you recognise, are © JKRowling, no infringement intended.**

_All references to "mediwizard" mean healer.  
Read Part I at ?storyid1672635_

--------------- 

Chapter Ten

The Truth is Out…

Susan and Kerry didn't get on, it was clear soon after I introduced them to each other. They both wanted to my friend, and I ended up getting quite frustrated by the way they kept moaning about the other one when they were with me alone. One thing I'd avoided most of the time was being alone with Susan. There was something that told me to keep away.

The seventh years were to have their first careers lesson of the year, straight after Potions. Work this year was significantly harder and took much more brainpower to understand in every subject, not just potions. Kerry was determined to get things right in Potions and I tried to help by pointing out where she was going wrong in her waterproofing potion. At first she accepted the help, but after about the third point she exploded at me.

"Just leave me alone to work it out will you Elixa- I know you're good at potions and I'm not, but you're not good at teaching me!" The room went completely silent. Professor Snape didn't look up from the parchments he was marking.

"Miss Alanis, Miss Amethyst, did I not say that this potion was to be created by the individual? Miss Amethyst, please desist and if you continue, you will move to the front desk."

"Sorry Professor." I said, and got on with my potion. I saw Kerry stirring her potion the wrong way and tried not to say anything. Kerry saw me watching and walked up to me.

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" She screamed in my face, grabbing hold of my robes. Snape got up and walked over to us. He leant forwards, his face about a foot from ours.

"I've warned you once. Continue your argument outside or I will make sure you continue it in detention. Miss Alanis, let go of Miss Amethyst." Kerry threw me out of her hands.

"Just because she's family." She spat her words at Snape. I saw his eyes flash dangerously as he rounded on her.

"Elixa get to the front desk." He snapped, still glaring at Kerry. The whole class was watching, trying to listen in to what Kerry had just said. I moved quickly, not wanting to be given the same treatment. Severus said some sharp words to Kerry, which made her go rather pale, and shrink down. I kept my head down as he passed me and sat down again at his desk.

Quirrell seemed in a good mood to see the class, one of his slightly crooked smiles on his face, and holding his hands just below his chin. Kerry and I hadn't spoken since the argument in potions, and Snape luckily had held back the choice to give us both a detention. We sat away from each other, she sat with her old crowd, and I felt singled out. It was an absolute pain when I fell out with anyone, especially Kerry who held grudges.

"These lessons will be at different times every two weeks, and are an opportunity for you to research your chosen career, look into universities and other opportunities, and to ask plenty of relevant questions. I don't believe that you have received much on this subject before?" Quirrell began.

"I already know what I'm going to be." Lysander said from behind me.

"Mr Lysander perhaps you'd like to share your plans with the class?" Quirrell suggested. Matthew sat up a bit.

"I'm going to be a duelling instructor." I burst out laughing in the row before him.

"You, duel? As if Lysander. I flattened you last year."

"Only because you weren't duelling properly."

"Yeah right, you just couldn't block in time."

"If you two are quite finished?" Quirrell interrupted, folding his arms and looking slightly annoyed. We shut up and I turned back to the front. Quirrell continued. "Now, as I was saying, I don't believe you've had many lessons like this in your previous years."

"No, we haven't." I sighed.

"Right, then, we'll start with looking at your strengths and weaknesses in your skills. Please fill out these pieces of parchment." Parchment appeared before us all, quills were rattled out of pencil cases and bags, and we set to work.

"Mediwizard Elixa?" Quirrell questioned when he floated past me.

"Yes Professor." I replied, not looking up. Quirrell didn't answer, he'd moved away to look at other people's forms.

"Did you decide that after what happened in Diagon Alley?" Lysander asked from behind me.

"No. I'd decided a long time before that."

"Someone said you claimed to be a mediwizard then."

"I didn't. The person misheard me." I snapped back, turning my head. Quirrell was glaring at me over the heads of the row behind. I turned back and got on with my work.

"How was your morning?" Susan asked as I slumped down in the common room after lunch.

"Terrible. I had a fat argument with Kerry in potions, and we got split up by Snape," I put my feet heavily, one after the other onto the low table before us. "Then I had a tiff with Matthew Lysander in Careers, remember the one I told you about who I got into trouble about?" Susan nodded.

"My morning was considerably less interesting. Transfiguration and Charms…" Susan stopped talking, and was staring above my head.

"Elixa, could I have a word in my office?" I looked up where Susan was looking and saw Severus looking down at me.

"Yes Professor." I got up and followed Snape out of the common room. I suspected it was something to do with potions if Quirrell hadn't mentioned something to him yet.

"Is this going to be a telling off?" I asked, walking with my arms folded and head slightly down. Severus didn't answer; he opened the door to his office, pointed in with one long finger and then slammed the door after him. I took it as a yes to my question.

"Sit down." He snapped. I obeyed, feeling vulnerable. Snape sat down at his desk opposite me, and unrolled a piece of parchment. I just watched him.

"Your little display for attention in potions this morning is the trigger event to something much worse Elixa."

"Worse? What do you mean?" I asked, my throat feeling dry suddenly.

"Let me put it this way, by the end of the day the whole school will probably know exactly who you stayed with over the summer." I felt as if someone had punched me in the stomach.

"Kerry…" I said, angry.

"Actually I don't think it was her, since I gave her enough warning in the lesson this morning. It is more likely someone overheard, or that Miss North has opened her mouth."

"I'll kill whoever it is." I muttered.

"Not if I or another member of staff doesn't get to them first. May I remind you of the consequences last time someone wound you up properly? Professor McGonagall and Professor Dumbledore will not look so kindly on you, and as a prefect you should be setting an example." I wrung my hands. "Elixa." Snape warned.

"Okay, I'll do my best."


	11. A Walk in the Night

Anything that's not blatant is a riddle  
Please read and review if you can!  
  
Author's penname: Elixa Amethyst  
Voices of the Past Part II  
Written March 2002 onwards, _pre _Order of the Phoenix.  
**All characters and things you recognise, are © JKRowling, no infringement intended.**

_All references to "mediwizard" mean healer.  
Read Part I at ?storyid1672635_

--------------- 

Chapter Eleven

A Walk in the Night

With that news, I was subsequently in a very bad mood for the rest of the day, if not the week. I doled out harsh times to anyone I found putting a foot out of line and I did my best to scare anyone who thought of speaking about who I was related to into complete and utter silence. It was lonely being like this, and I wasn't going to get Kerry back this way either. Susan just seemed to be trying to get closer to me by the day, and I was letting her… Draco talked about other things whenever we met, which I was thankful about, but inside I just felt so annoyed and suspicious that I could explode myself. It didn't help Lysander was aiming himself for a decent crack at me whenever we were in lessons together. If I didn't talk to someone I was going to do something I really would regret.

"My we do look stormy tonight don't we?" My mirror said and I washed my hands and face roughly.

"Shut up!" I snapped at it. The mirror stared back at me for a while and then the face disappeared. I walked out of the bathroom and into my dormitory. I threw myself onto my bed, the curtains drawn around me and tried to sleep.

"Elixa, wake up, what are you doing here?" I opened my eyes, and saw I was staring into Severus's face. I jumped. I was standing in the corridor in the middle of the night, not far from the library. I had a book clasped in my hands, and I looked down at it.

"What's going on?" He demanded, taking the book from me. "This is from the restricted section."

"I don't actually know Professor…Was I sleepwalking?" Severus clasped my hand, and his hand felt warm to mine.

"Are you sick?" He asked. I shook my head.

"Not by anything I was aware of. Unless someone has poisoned me or something." I was confused, and disorientated.

"Professor, you found them did you?" Filch came down the corridor, carrying a lantern, Mrs Norris at his heels. "Miss Amethyst? I thought you were a prefect?"

"I'll take you to the hospital wing-." Severus interrupted.

"No, I'm fine. I was just sleepwalking." I looked at the book in my hands and saw it was 'Advanced Dark Arts for Darkest Souls.' What was I doing with a book like that?

"I'm not convinced." Severus said.

"She's bluffing Professor, she's been sneaking round the school at night. Someone was doing it the other night too."

"I did not leave my bed last night I assure you Mr Filch." I interrupted.

"She's my house, and I'll deal with her." How that reminded me of the previous year…  
"She's your niece…" Filch started, cautiously.

"And you think that will cloud my judgement Argus?" Filch looked humble.

"Well… er… no Sir… just don't want her getting away with lying."

"Thank you Argus. That will be all." Severus and I watched Filch leave the corridor via a hidden passageway behind a tapestry. Severus plucked the book from me, then made me walk, heading downstairs through passageways I didn't know existed. It was next to no time that I was being pushed through his office door, and the torches on the wall were lit. Severus shut the door behind us and took another look at the book. I wrapped my arms around myself, feeling the cold now we were back in the dungeons. I'd never sleep walked as far as I remembered.

"Were you really sleep walking?" Severus asked in serious tones. I looked up and caught a look from his black eyes, glinting dangerously.

"Yes." I replied.

"Then how can you be sure that it wasn't you last night…?" I felt very uncomfortable.

"Well if it was me, I was sleepwalking, but I've never done it before." There was a sharp knock at the door. Severus opened the door to his cupboard, which was charmed to hold more and I was shocked that he shoved me in!

"Don't make a sound." He warned in his soft voice. I hugged my legs and shivered. The door shut, and left a tiny crack, which if I leant slightly forward, I could see a bit of what was going on. Severus opened the door just enough to talk to the person outside.

"Minerva, what are you doing up?"

"Argus mentioned something about someone sleep walking… Elixa, I thought there might be something wrong."

"There's nothing wrong, she was sleep walking. She's in her dormitory now." There was a pause.

"Can I come in? We need to discuss something."

"Can't it wait? It's the middle of the night for Merlin's sake, I'm going back to bed."

"No, it can't Severus." McGonagall was using her stern Scots tones. Severus stepped back and let her in. I saw the tartan slippers and dressing gown enter the room though the crack in the cupboard doors.

"It's highly unlikely a student can sleepwalk through a common room door, and select a book from the restricted section isn't it? Are you sure she wasn't up to something?" I couldn't see his face, but I suspected it was sour.

"Minerva…"

"Severus, you can't expect me to turn a blind eye to what is going on. The girl lost her parents, and she had no one to turn to."

"Are you saying she's doing this because she's bereaved?"

"I'm pointing out that you could be a little more accommodating towards her."

"Accommodating? She stayed with me this summer- I am being responsible for her!"

"You may be all that, but do you know who her friends are? Do you know how she feels about her parent's deaths? Do you know what she could be going through at the moment?" There was a long silence. "I thought as much. When I saw you and her in that corridor last term, I was very worried about you and particularly her. It's no wonder she can't turn to you if you've had her up against a wall and threatened her."

"That was not about-."

"It doesn't matter- you wouldn't threaten a student that way, although sometimes I doubt you. I don't approve your teaching methods of bullying, and I never will." I couldn't believe how McGonagall had silenced Severus. He held up his hands and sat down, his back to me.

"If you think you're the font of all knowledge, you deal with her." McGonagall raised an eyebrow, walked across the room and leant down into Severus's face.

"She's your house, and your family… I thought you always wanted to deal with those…?" She stood up and left the office. Severus had his back to me in the cupboard, sitting in a chair. I put my head on my knees. I didn't want to be here… I never asked to be here. Severus got up and I saw him walk over to the cupboard.

"I suppose you heard all of that."

"I'd be lying if I said no." I replied. He opened the door and I hauled myself out with help from Severus.

"Sit down." He said, and started a fire.


	12. All Part of Getting Used To It

Anything that's not blatant is a riddle  
Please read and review if you can!  
  
Author's penname: Elixa Amethyst  
Voices of the Past Part II  
Written March 2002 onwards, _pre _Order of the Phoenix.  
**All characters and things you recognise, are © JKRowling, no infringement intended.**

_All references to "mediwizard" mean healer.  
Read Part I at ?storyid1672635_

--------------- 

Chapter Twelve

All Part of Getting Used To It

"I understand why you don't know the answers necessarily to Professor McGonagall's questions. Neither of us particularly likes to pry out of place. We respect each other's privacy." Severus remained silent.

"She has offered a sympathetic ear, but I haven't taken it." I said more quietly. Still Severus didn't reply. He was looking into the fire.

"Why do I get the feeling I'm talking to myself?" I asked, rubbing my arms in an effort to warm up. Severus moved from the fire to one of the bookshelves. I watched him select a book from the third shelf and bring it towards me. He sat down beside me and opened the book. I quickly saw a waving girl on the front page, which looked like me, but was my mother.

"Your father no doubt destroyed all photographs of me and probably your mother's parents, and your mother's parents destroyed all trace of Adia, apart from these." Severus passed the album to me. I leafed through it, reading the captions. I noticed how quiet Severus was, just watching the fire with his unreadable black eyes. I stood up quietly and put my knowledge into action. Snape didn't seem to notice that I was soon stirring a potion in a cauldron over the fire he was still staring at ten minutes later. I ladled some of the potion into a glass and let it cool for a few minutes. I walked over to Severus and handed him the glass.

"Ignatia infusion. It should help." Severus glanced up momentarily; the fact that I'd just created a potion to combat silent grief started to register in his mind.

"Thank you." He said quietly. I went back to the cauldron and took it off the fire, letting it cool before I bottled it. I sat down again beside Severus and continued to look through the album.

Someone knocking at the door came into my dream, it didn't quite fit because I was dreaming about the garden of my parents' house, and I was turning to see them sitting by the house. I heard a door open, and in my dream I looked to the back door which was shut.

"Morning you two." Why was Professor Dumbledore in my dream? Then suddenly I realised it wasn't part of the dream, and woke. It was morning, I must have fallen asleep in the office last night, I realised my head was on Severus's shoulder, and his head was resting on mine. How it had happened, I didn't know. We both pulled away, embarrassed. Dumbledore thankfully had shut the door behind him, and he was only the one wise to the waking. In my arms was the album, the people in the photos were waking too. The headmaster picked up the book I'd been found with in the night, his blue eyes regarding it with interest.

"I overheard two of your fellow Slytherin seventh years talking about you being missing, and along with Mr Filch's report of a sleep walker, and Professor McGonagall's report that Professor Snape had escorted you back to your dormitory, I suspected correctly." Dumbledore said to me.

"We must have fallen asleep, last thing I remember was looking at the photos." I stood up and walked around the back of Severus to put the album back on the third shelf.

"You haven't missed breakfast completely, but your presence at breakfast won't particularly be missed I shouldn't think. I'll take this back to the library for you. Do be careful with books like this Miss Amethyst, your wand combined with your character gives you the potential of a dark arts follower…" I replied slightly more timidly.

"I will be Professor. Thank you for coming to find us discreetly." Severus was sat in his chair still, his eyes sleepy, and so far he'd been silent.

"I do believe Miss North will be taking an exam this morning in potions Severus? Any thoughts on her results?" Dumbledore asked as I cleared the cauldron from the previous night away.

"There is a possibility she'll pass, but I don't guarantee that it is a great possibility." Dumbledore nodded, and then left the office. As he did, two breakfasts appeared on Snape's desk. I heard him get up from the chair and pour another glass of the ingatia infusion as I wiped the cauldron clean.

"Susan will be taking her exam in the seventh year lesson this morning, it will probably be interesting watching her." He told me in a soft voice, which came from slightly behind me and to the left. I hadn't heard Severus walk across the room, and it surprised me slightly. What surprised me further was when he tucked a piece of my hair behind my ear without warning. I stopped and turned my head slowly to look at him. In those black eyes, I sensed both mourning and a hint of warmth.

"You look very like Adia." He told me, and then looked towards the desk. I turned back to the stone sink, blaming the out of character action on the potion I'd made for him.

Susan was anxious about her exam, clutching a second year potions book to her chest as we stood outside the potion lab, waiting for Snape to appear.

"Do you think I'll pass? I mean, I'm not that great at potions, as you know, but I've learnt so much…" I thought it was unlikely that she could have learnt the entire course for first year potions in less than a term, but the exam would find that out.

"Professor McGonagall says I've got the potential to be a very good witch, it's just learning to control the magic in me." I bristled, the feeling all more familiar to me now I'd been a cat. Susan could well have some of my power, and it could wear off.

"Seventh year students and Miss North, you may enter the lab." Snape's voice came down the corridor from the stairs down to the dungeon classroom, and we walked into the lab.

"Miss Amethyst, I want you at the front this lesson again, Miss North, there should be room if Elixa isn't going to take up the whole of the desk." I'd started to get used to the put downs that Severus slipped in, they reminded me firmly of my place as a student, and helped to stop any rumours of favouritism, especially since the whole school knew we were related.

"Oh yes, and Miss Amethyst, Miss North certainly doesn't want any help in passing her exam this morning." There was laughter from behind me as I sat down.

"Page four hundred, the use of plating potions in preserving artefacts, I want three scroll essays from all of you by the end of the lesson. Working in silence." We set to work. Snape then spoke to Susan about her exam, handed her a piece of parchment and sat down at his desk, keeping an eye on Susan every little while. I put my concentration into the essay, but kept an eye out should Susan make a mistake that would explode her cauldron or similar. Amazingly she seemed to be managing quite well…

Something brushed against my leg. I glanced down and saw a tail wrap around the bottom of my leg, black with a white tip. I tried not to panic, as long as I didn't provoke it, I wouldn't be scratched or bitten. I didn't particularly want to spend time being a cat again, especially in term time. A head appeared, and I tried to ignore the cat. I didn't know what it was doing in here anyway? Perhaps it belonged to Susan. Keep working Elixa… ignore the purring…the voice in my head repeated.


	13. A Summer Wasted?

Anything that's not blatant is a riddle  
Please read and review if you can!  
  
Author's penname: Elixa Amethyst  
Voices of the Past Part II  
Written March 2002 onwards, _pre _Order of the Phoenix.  
**All characters and things you recognise, are © JKRowling, no infringement intended.**

_All references to "mediwizard" mean healer.  
Read Part I at ?storyid1672635_

--------------- 

**Chapter Thirteen**

**A Summer Wasted?**

I glanced sideways at Susan, who was putting her full attention into her potion. She was about to add four rose thorns, and was preparing them beside her cauldron. Thorns were like quills; they had to be added correctly for the potion to work. I watched Susan pick up the thorns with one eye, and then I glanced to Severus who was watching too. I looked back to Susan, at the same time the cat jumped up between me and the cauldron, making me jump, if not Susan too. I heard a bang as Susan must have dropped the thorns in incorrectly, and the cat jumped into my lap.

"Get off me you stupid animal!"

"Felix!"

"What is a cat doing in here?" I, Susan and Severus all spoke simultaneously. The potion was bubbling ominously before Susan. I grabbed the cat by the scruff of the neck and held it away from me. Not surprising it swore and growled at me. It twisted and I went to drop it. How it managed it, I'll never know, unless it had grown teeth on its neck, but I drew my hand away to see almost identical bite marks to the ones Ace had given me.

"Miss North is that yours?" Severus demanded.

"Yes Professor, I didn't know he was here, I thought I'd shut him in the dormitory. I'm sorry Sir."

"You're right to be, you've just failed!" The class of seventh years stared at Snape as he stood glaring at Susan over her cauldron. "You wouldn't have passed anyway, you've forgotten to add daisy roots before the thorns, which is lucky for you, as the potion would have boiled over if you had followed it properly up to now." I'd sat down on my stool again, feeling faint. No, I was being stupid; Felix is just a normal cat… There was a gasp from the students behind me as I transformed into my feline shape again. It surprised me, as it happened so quickly. I sat swishing my tail on the stool before my essay. Severus looked as shocked as the class did.

"What, never seen a cat before?" I asked in my cat like voice, which was all I could speak in, in this state. Severus pointed his wand at Felix and the cat froze as if it had been petrified.

"Settle down everyone, Miss North, clear your cauldron, and don't let that cat out of your sight. Everyone else get back to work. Elixa, my office." He touched his shoulder as he said office. I jumped onto the bench, trotted along it and leapt lightly onto his shoulder. I could hear the sudden outbreak of talking through the closed door. I leapt off onto Severus's desk.

"Time to try out the variation of wolfsbane?" I asked, before cleaning my tail. I did it without noticing.

"How did it manage to bite you?" A bowl full of the silver coloured liquid was placed before me. I stopped cleaning and answered.

"I have no idea." I started to drink. The potion tasted foul, and felt like the spreading of pain in the cruciatus curse, but this time with cold. Severus was watching intently. I shivered slightly, my fur standing up straighter. I licked the bowl clean and sat up again.

"It felt like I was turning my blood to ice, but that's wearing off now. Is that any help?"

"It could take the ministry days to get the counter potion together again." He told me. I nodded.

"Never mind, at least we know that doesn't work instantly at least, and that any cat causes the transformation." Being a cat wasn't the end of the world, just an annoyance. It had its perks. Severus sighed, scratched me once behind the ear and went to call Dumbledore from the fireplace.

I finished my day as a cat. In the Slytherin common room, everyone wanted to talk to me, which would have been fine apart from talking took a lot of effort as a cat.

"I should have warned you Elixa, Dad sent him to me as a companion, he didn't know about the cat thing." Susan was apologetic, her blue eyes filling with tears.

"No harm done. The Ministry will have the antidote soon." I assured her. Kerry also seemed sorry. We'd more or less forgotten what we'd fallen out about. Draco was the most amazed, and he found it difficult to accept that his girlfriend was a black cat. He nervously went to stroke me and I showed I was pleased by purring.  
"Well, I know I wouldn't get you mixed up with other cats. Your eyes are unique." He said, looking into my green eyes, which at an angle looked purple oddly enough. I jumped onto Draco's shoulders to go down to dinner.

"Mr Malfoy, you know animals aren't allowed at mealtimes!" Madame Hooch snapped from behind us. Kerry turned round to face the flying teacher.

"It's Elixa! Don't you know?" Kerry exclaimed. Madame Hooch gave an odd look and then nodded. We carried on into the great hall. I hopped off Draco's shoulder, trying to avoid all the other houses trying to see me. I'd had enough of the attention for the evening; all I wanted to do was eat. That was going to be the next challenge.  
When I was in a cat form, I could only eat what cats naturally ate. Anything else just didn't taste the same. I hopped up on the bench between Kerry and Draco and soon afterwards the food arrived. I was very grateful to my two good friends for serving me food. It gave Kerry an opportunity to show us her newly mastered spell. A bowl came flying over the heads of the students towards the table and I ducked underneath the table, fearing I'd be hit by it, but it landed neatly before me.

"Bravo Miss Alanis, a bit more height next time though!" Professor Flitwick squeaked from the staff table. Kerry blushed, and poured some water from a jug into the bowl for me.

I retired to bed early, cats on average sleeping many more hours than humans. I was glad to be away from the noise and the questions, and allowed to sleep. I dropped off soon after I curled up on my bed.


	14. Screams in the Night

Anything that's not blatant is a riddle  
Please read and review if you can!  
  
Author's penname: Elixa Amethyst  
Voices of the Past Part II  
Written March 2002 onwards, _pre _Order of the Phoenix.  
**All characters and things you recognise, are © JKRowling, no infringement intended.**

_All references to "mediwizard" mean healer.  
Read Part I at ?storyid1672635_

--------------- 

**Chapter Fourteen**

**Screams in the Night**

The screams woke me because of my sensitive feline ears. I sat up quickly, establishing that the screams came from the dormitory next door- the sixth year girl's dormitory. I leapt off my bed, and ran to the door, opening it with ease with a perfected spell to open it by mind without a wand. I ran the short distance to the next door and found it open. I rushed through, trying to keep to the shadows. There was a figure in the middle of the room, standing over Susan. I ran with all the speed I could managed and launched myself; teeth and claws ready up at the face of the figure. I heard a howl, and the face of the figure stared into mine as we hit the floor together. I was seized by the neck by Severus who I'd attacked. He threw me off and I lay hissing at him for a minute the other side of Susan's bed. I sneezed as an owl feather tickled my nose.

"What is going on in here?" A Scottish accented voice asked, and the lights came on. I should think the Professor didn't expect to see Professor Snape getting up off the floor and me hissing at him from the other side of Susan's bed. I looked around at the other beds and I saw they were all asleep- and Susan was too. Who had screamed and why had no one woken now? I had a feeling Professor McGonagall was about to ask the same questions.

"The two of you better have a good explanation for this." She snapped. I looked over at Severus, who was looking very annoyed.

Two minutes later we were standing in the Slytherin common room. I'd jumped up onto one of the tables to give me some height.

"I heard screaming." Severus explained.

"I did too Professor, from next door." McGonagall had her arms folded. She didn't look at me; her eyes were fixed on Severus.

"Someone's been up and about, and they've managed to break through the anti-apparation charms. They were looking for something. Severus sat down and continued to explain.

"I heard footsteps outside my office. I was working late into the night on the potion for Elixa, and I thought it was someone like Potter coming to help himself to some supplies. It wasn't though, as far as I know. I followed the noise up the corridor and I saw the Slytherin common room entrance open. I don't know of any student in this house who owns an invisibility cloak, at least who has made it known. That's when the screaming started. I thought at once that it must be a dark wizard again, like the one that got in last year. The last of the screaming came from the sixth year female dormitory, which was why I was in there." McGonagall seemed to take his word.

"And you, young… lady?"

"I heard the screaming, and came in, I saw Severus, and thought he was a dark wizard, and attacked." The fire that McGonagall had lit in the fireplace was burning low, illuminating just us. I'd noticed it was redder and more yellow than any fire I'd seen Severus conjure.

"This is the second time we've had someone in who shouldn't have been. Not even Peeves can open the entrances to common rooms. There was someone wandering about, I heard him or her too, which was why I got up. Whoever it was must be getting in somehow. What they are looking for though, we don't know." I had the feeling I was being watched. I glanced round; my cat's eyes making the dark room look lighter. Something just moved over by the door to my dormitory… Severus and Minerva turned to look, and whatever it was vanished.

"It's there- hiding." I said, every muscle in my feline form ready to attack. It took a while for me to relax again, although I didn't see any further movement.

I went back to my dormitory to try and sleep after Severus and Minerva had left. I was pacing around my bed in a frustrated way, so I returned to the common room. There were too many questions in my head. What did a dark wizard want in here, why was he or she looking in the sixth year dorm if for instance they were looking for me like last time? Why did they pass the staff chambers of McGonagall? Dumbledore had the necklace, why not go to him? Why hadn't Professor Moody picked up on something? How had they got in? Why had Susan been put into Slytherin? Had something happened to Susan in Albania? Why did Peterson encourage them to go there? Several hundred more questions filled my mind, each battling for space. I put my head down and put my paws on my head and gently shook it. A cat had a smaller brain and I needed all the room to think that I could get. Owl feathers… Another one, sitting on the chair opposite. I leapt across and sniffed. Owls…That was a way of getting in- the owlery!

I couldn't recall any registered animagi who could turn into an owl. I didn't particularly want to go to the library at this time of night, or as it was now, the morning, but as I'd come up with a strong possibility I was determined to see it through.  
Slinking down the corridor in the shadows was easy as long as I didn't bump into Mrs Norris. Amazingly I reached the library without being seen. If I could then a dark wizard could easily too, even with two teachers on their tail it seemed. It didn't take me long to locate the register of animagi in the transfiguration section, but getting it down would be more difficult. I sat staring at the book for a while before it started to shift. I kept concentrating, but just as I was about to levitate it, a flicker of light indicating a ghost appeared at the entrance to the library. It distracted me, and the book plummeted to the floor. I ran underneath the table beside me, and the book hit the floor with the most tremendous bang. I was done for. Quirrell appeared within seconds, and picked up the book.  
"Miss Amethyst, what are you doing under the table?" I crawled out and looked up at Quirrell's translucent disapproving face.

"Well speak up Prefect!" He snapped, reminding me of Snape when he got angry.

"I was looking up animagi in the register professor."

"I can see you were doing that, but at this time of night? Are you trying to get yourself expelled!" The glare he'd used in that first careers lesson met my eyes.

"This is research into how someone is getting into the school professor." Quirrell folded his arms.  
"Is it really? I don't believe you are being entirely honest Miss Amethyst. I of all people should know what it feels like to be controlled by Voldermort." I looked as shocked as I could as a cat.

"I'm not under the control of anyone!" I exclaimed.

"You may not realise until it's too late-." I gave a deep-throated meow and growl.

"For your language Miss Amethyst- I will take five points from Slytherin, and for being out at night generally a further twenty, I am then going to take thirty more points considering you knew there was an intruder in the castle. I shall also be checking to see what other things you have been doing in relation to rules this term and see that you lose your prefects badge!" My jaw dropped.

"Language?" I questioned.

"You just swore at me in cat."


	15. Sharing the Moment

Anything that's not blatant is a riddle  
Please read and review if you can!  
  
Author's penname: Elixa Amethyst  
Voices of the Past Part II  
Written March 2002 onwards, _pre _Order of the Phoenix.  
**All characters and things you recognise, are © JKRowling, no infringement intended.**

_All references to "mediwizard" mean healer.  
Read Part I at ?storyid1672635_

--------------- 

**Chapter Fifteen**

**Sharing the Moment**

The Slytherins were all too aware of the loss of fifty-five points the following morning when they passed the giant hourglasses on their way to breakfast. I wasn't hungry, and went and sat on a windy bench outside overlooking the whomping willow. I was miserable. It was mid-November and the nights were drawing in further, preparing for mid-winter and the weather was becoming foul. Christmas would be the next big celebration and I would be staying for the holidays. Halloween had passed without much significance; it had been a welcome merriment in a term of hard work. The feast had been full of smiling faces and happiness. Somehow after that, Christmas seemed bleak, especially without a family to go back to or correspond with. Remembering my late parents hurt particularly this morning. My stomach rumbled and I made an effort to ignore the pit forming in it. I didn't want to go back in and face the Slytherins, or Quirrell, or Severus who would have heard by now. All I wanted was to disappear off the earth completely or to turn back time to before my parents had died. I shut my eyes and let out a sigh, a slight tear breaking from my eye.

It seemed like hours later before someone sat down beside me. I'd drifted, my mind picking up thoughts and turning them over as if they were stones, trying to examine them from different ways. I didn't open my eyes, and pretended to be asleep should it be someone coming to get me. A long finger scratched me behind the ear and I opened my eyes slowly. I knew who it would be by the action, only Severus had done that before. I shut my eyes again and put my head down.

"I hope you are sorry for what you did." Severus said, the wind catching his robes as we sat on the bench. I opened my eyes slightly to watch them.

"Is there anything you have to say?" I swallowed and sat up slightly.

"I don't want to go back, just get it over and done with and expel me. If it helps I'll go and do some damage to the willow."

"You're not going to get expelled Elixa. Professor Quirrell has been requested to rethink his penalty as you were actually very clever." I frowned and looked up at Severus. He was looking across the grounds, the wind catching his hair without blowing it into his eyes. His arms were folded, but not in an aggressive way, and his robes were being blown gently too. He raised his arm on my side and pulled me towards him. I stiffened, alarmed at the action.

"Come out of the wind idiot." He said softly, his arm now providing a windbreak. I realised how cold I had been once out of the wind.

"Peterson is an animagus, he's registered as a pigeon of all things with the ministry, but I know he's no longer a pigeon, and more of an owl."

"How did you know I was thinking that?" I asked. Severus looked down with his black eyes.

"I found owl feathers on my robes, and since I hadn't received or sent an owl in the past day, I was suspicious. That with the animagi register, well you can see." I put my head against him slightly. The lack of sleep was catching up with me.

"Why would Peterson want to be here? Was he coming for Susan?" I asked quietly. Severus didn't answer if he heard. Just the idea wasn't enough evidence to pin Peterson down unfortunately. Severus reached into his robes and pulled out a vial.

"The potion arrived from the Ministry yesterday. Professor Moody has checked it and I have checked it. That's why I was in my office last night." What I meant as a smile broke out on my feline face. I couldn't wait to get back to how I was. Being a cat was okay, but I preferred my human self. Severus produced a bowl out of thin air and I eagerly lapped it up. It didn't take long for me to change back to a human, when finally I found my whiskers had disappeared along with my tail I glanced at Severus. He still had his arm around me.

"If you think it's much of a windbreak now you're mistaken." I told him with a slight smile. I reached inside my robes and found my wand was still there. I was glad the transformation meant I transformed with clothes! Severus hadn't moved, and I looked over towards the whomping willow again. The world seemed better as a human, especially knowing that I wasn't in quite so much trouble. I felt a kiss on my neck, and it took a second for my brain to remember it wasn't Draco sitting beside me and I turned, alarmed.

"Err… what…?" I said, suddenly unable to make any sense.

"Don't worry, I'm not trying to push Malfoy out of his seat. I'm… well…" Severus seemed lost for words. An awkward silence passed, as we looked at each other.

"Thank you." I said and gently kissed him back.

In all my years of Hogwarts, I had never expected to have such an intimate moment with the sharp Potions master. My brain could not quite cope with the fact it had happened and tried to con me into thinking it was a dream.

"Miss Amethyst, glad to see you back to normal, we're on page one hundred and two. I believe Miss Alanis has saved you a place." Professor Flitwick said from the top of his pile of books when I entered the charms classroom.

"Thank you Professor." I sat down beside Kerry, who passed me a note across the desk.

Lysander's been crowing about you being expelled all lesson, I'd watch your back, he's one of the group out to get you for the loss of points, they think you and Snape are up to something again.

I scribbled 'thanks' below it and then 'Quirrell's been asked to reconsider his penalty, with luck it'll be reduced…' and passed it back to Kerry.

Kerry was right to warn me. It wasn't long before Matthew Lysander started his campaign against me once again. This time I made sure I had an army of my own.

"Right then Lysander, do your worst." I said, sitting down on a chair, Kerry standing to one side, Draco and Susan the other. Several other Slytherins standing around had voiced their support too and were making it known. Lysander stood opposite me, alone.

"Lost your tongue?" Kerry asked.

"No!" Lysander snapped, and drew his wand. I didn't expect this.

"What are you doing?" I asked curiously. He started to mutter something, and then one of his friends grabbed him by the arm. Whatever was said between them changed Matthew's mind, as he put his wand back and walked off.

"What a complete chicken!" Kerry exclaimed, and promptly made clucking noises. I smiled to myself, Lysander 2 Amethyst 2." I hoped he had the sense not to try and make it 3-2 to him.


	16. The Specimen

Anything that's not blatant is a riddle  
Please read and review if you can!  
  
Author's penname: Elixa Amethyst  
Voices of the Past Part II  
Written March 2002 onwards, _pre _Order of the Phoenix.  
**All characters and things you recognise, are © JKRowling, no infringement intended.**

_All references to "mediwizard" mean healer.  
Read Part I at ?storyid1672635_

--------------- 

**Chapter Sixteen**

**The Specimen**

A week passed without any further incidents. The dark side was biding its time, probably collating the information gathered by the last intruder. I got my head down again, determined to show I was still worthy to be a prefect.

I was working in the library, a large book open beside me, and numerous pieces of parchment, detailing careful observation to find the optimum conditions to grow coalweed, a black plant that could be burnt like coal eventually. I had to write it up by the end of the week along with two Muggle studies essays. Quirrell had encouraged me to work on getting high marks in my subjects, especially charms, herbology and potions. He'd also try to see if I could visit a Muggle hospital, but to apply for that I would have to have good Muggle studies marks too. Basically it added up to working harder than I had ever worked before. I was in the middle of my second piece of neat parchment when a first year from Slytherin sat down at the table opposite me. I glanced up with a glare; I didn't want to share a table with anyone particularly today. The first year looked nervous.  
"Excuse me…?" Came a voice. I looked up with such force that the first year seemed to take it as violence. She swallowed visibly. I noticed she was very frail and short with red hair.

"What do you want?" I asked.

"I need to talk to you." The tone was insistent. I gave a quiet sigh. I thought the Slytherin first years would grow up in their first few weeks, but by the sound of it, they hadn't. I put down my quill and gave her my attention.

"Go on then."

"I'm being picked on." My mind took a lurch remembering about the prefect position. I had to get this right.

"Okay, who by?" I asked, more sympathetically. The first year seemed to clam up.

"Listen, do you want to go somewhere else to tell me, and then we can take further action, like going to see McGonagall or Snape." I picked up my quill and finished the sentence on the parchment before putting it away. The first year nodded. I finished putting my things together and got up.

"Come on then." I cast a privacy spell on my work and a couple more to stop anyone touching it, apart from Madame Pince, should she need to move it. For the next fifteen minutes I listened intently to the Slytherin in an empty potions lab. The tiny Slytherin introduced herself as Annabelle and explained how a group of third year Slytherins were picking on her build and red hair. She told me a couple of ideas she'd had to get back at them, which impressed me because she showed true Slytherin cunning, whereas the third years were blatantly weak for bullying. I took Annabelle down to Severus. I knocked on the door to his office and heard nothing. I tried the door handle, found the door unlocked which was unusual. I knocked on the door with it slightly open before sticking my head round. I saw Severus slumped over his desk, something was amiss because one of the specimen bottles had smashed on the stone floor. Unusual because all of the bottles had an unbreakable charm on them.

"He's not in at the moment. We'll try again later, okay?" I waited for Annabelle to leave the corridor before going into the office.

"Professor!" I called. There was no movement and my uncle showed little sign of life. I went over to the slumped figure.

"Severus." I called, and saw no movement still. I leant over to see if I could see his face. I called again, a hand on his shoulder. I could feel his back rising and falling against my body as I leant over. At least he was breathing. I brushed his hair back with a hand and found cuts on his hands and face. I took a sharp intake of breath. I assumed he'd cut himself on the glass.

"Severus, wake up!" I called again, leaning towards his ear. No response.

"Damn it!" I cursed, and moved away. I crouched down by the broken glass. There was a label, and I picked it up cautiously.

**DEPARTMENT OF MAGICAL CREATURES ****(A Warthog)  
****And  
****DEPARTMENT OF POTIONS ****(C Peterson)**

**Return of specimen VT820F to Head of Potions, Hogwarts School  
HANDLE WITH CARE**

Peterson- Again. I rushed over to the fire.

"Professor Dumbledore, it's an emergency!" I threw some powder into the fire from the pot on Severus's mantelpiece. I waited, wondering if it had worked.

"Elixa?" The headmaster's head appeared in the flames.

"It's Severus, he's unconscious and there's something escaped – to do with Peterson." Dumbledore emerged from the fireplace and gave me an order to call Madame Pomfrey. I turned back to the fire and soon the school's medical expert was in Snape's office too.

"Revio." Dumbledore cast a waking spell on Severus. I was beside him when he came round and my arm was around his shoulders when he sat up. His hands were cut and there was a slice down his left cheeks. He looked slightly shaken and paler.

"What happened Severus?" Dumbledore asked.

"Peterson, he sent that pipe dweller back. The one I'd sent to them for being thrice the size." I remembered the oily looking animal in the sink at the start of summer. So that was what it was.

"But you said that was harmless." I exclaimed. Severus glanced up at me, and then to Dumbledore.

"When I sent it, it didn't have teeth and claws. I was very surprised to get it back."

"How did it attack you if it was in the glass?" Pomfrey asked, looking at the mess on the floor, one hand on her hips and the other scratching her chin.

"It tipped the container off the shelf, and it smashed on the floor. I turned round, only to be attacked by it."

"So it could be roaming the school right now?" Dumbledore asked. Severus didn't answer. He was inspecting his maimed hands. Madame Pomfrey came towards him and I moved across the room to Dumbledore.

"Is this serious?" I asked.

"Potentially dangerous. If it's roaming with capabilities to do that to Severus… I hate to think what it could do to a first year or anyone else… If it's calmed down it may be safe to catch, but somehow I don't think Peterson would considering his track record." I glanced back to Severus who was having his hands treated with little success.

"Oh Merlin." I said quietly.


	17. The Pipe Dweller

Anything that's not blatant is a riddle  
Please read and review if you can!  
  
Author's penname: Elixa Amethyst  
Voices of the Past Part II  
Written March 2002 onwards, _pre _Order of the Phoenix.  
**All characters and things you recognise, are © JKRowling, no infringement intended.**

_All references to "mediwizard" mean healer.  
Read Part I at ?storyid1672635_

--------------- 

**Chapter Seventeen**

**The Pipe Dweller**

__

"Albus, the injuries aren't responding to treatment like standard cuts. I've applied poultice to the hands, but the healing could take days that way." Poppy called to us. Severus was looking unhappy at his two heavily bandaged hands. "Is there any other way?" She asked.

"Yes." I replied, and turned back to Dumbledore. He handed me the necklace. It felt cold in my hand, not how I remembered it. Severus waited patiently as I arranged my hands best over the cut on his face. I concentrated and took my hands away to see the cut scab and then disappear. I'd not seen the process before. The poultices disappeared from the hands and I continued to heal them. Dumbledore left to call a meeting in two waves so staff could keep a look out at all times. Madame Pomfrey readied herself for any casualties in the hospital wing. I stayed with Severus in his office a while longer, trying to heal any further injuries. A piece of parchment materialised before Severus from Dumbledore.

"Common room. Now." He told me.

The Slytherins were already assembled in the common room. I came in with Severus and headed across the room.

"Right- all your attention this way." Snape snapped. He cast his eye down the parchment.

"You're all in here because there's a problem with an escaped specimen. The Ministry has made a slight mistake and sent something back to us that shouldn't have. Subsequently to make sure there's no accidents involving it and students, members of staff will escort you to your lessons until we've recaptured the creature. It is commonly know as a pipe dweller, and looks like a cross between a Muggle balloon animal, whatever that looks like and a pool of Muggle oil. If you see it, make sure you don't provoke it and inform a member of staff immediately. We don't want to have to pick up severed limbs from students in any house." There was a murmuring along the Slytherins.

"I thought pipe dwellers were harmless and used for maintenance?" A voice asked.

"This isn't a standard specimen, which is why we need to recapture it." Snape answered, checking the parchment once again.

"Did it escape from your office Professor?" Another voice asked. Severus didn't answer. He swept a black eye around the faces of his students.

"I should think the disruption will be small to you. You will remain in this room until the member of staff teaching you next arrives." I remembered I'd left my essays in the library. No doubt Madame Pince knew and had picked them up. Suddenly Quirrell appeared through the wall into the common room. It was something not any of the Slytherins were aware he could do.

"Severus, Miss Amethyst is required in the hospital wing, urgently…" His voice dropped as I came forwards. "You better hurry, there's no time to waste, it's very bad." I scrambled after Quirrell, my heart in my mouth. Why did they want me- couldn't Madame Pomfrey use the necklace instead? Quirrell had problems stopping himself from going through walls and leaving me alone. We finally reached the hospital wing, and I ran in out of breath. Madame Pomfrey was by the bedside of someone, they were groaning and it sounded like they were trying not to cry. I came over to her and saw she was holding the necklace in one hand while trying to do the same healing I'd done.

"It must only work for you, here!" She threw the necklace at me and hurried back to the fire.

"If this isn't useful experience at being a mediwizard…" Quirrell said, and then promptly left. The figure on the bed was Annabelle, and she was in quite a lot of pain. I swallowed and she saw who was standing over her and cried out.

"What help are you going to be? I'm in agony!"

"Trust me… I'm… well… just trust me okay?" I spoke cautiously, clearing my head and catching my breath. "Where does it hurt worst?" Annabelle managed to point out that it was her side and I saw Madame Pomfrey had bound it as best she could. What on earth was this thing up to? I thought as I healed the cut.

Each time the lessons changed, there were more casualties. Madame Pomfrey and I were dealing with more injuries than had been seen in years at Hogwarts. A couple of the worst injuries had required regular revisits by me to heal them completely. I noticed no staff had been injured apart from Severus, which was in a way comforting, but I didn't like the fact that so many people had been injured. I paused to look down the hospital wing, and saw that there were very few beds left. If they didn't catch it soon we could have the whole school in here. A cry to my left brought me back to the task in hand. Early evening came and all the students were returned to their dormitories, and what was to be the last casualty appeared with Professor Sinistra. It was Draco. I walked slowly over to him, rubbing my face in an effort to keep myself alert, the healing was exhausting and I hadn't had a break since we started, and Madame Pomfrey hadn't either. I sat down beside Draco and saw him regard me with amazement.

"You look terrible!" He exclaimed softly, clutching his shoulder.

"Thanks, you look the same." I replied, trying to keep my mind concentrated. I healed Draco, and then fell forwards onto his bed, exhausted. There was little that could stop me. Draco gave a kind smile and gently stroked my head with his hand; I was out for the count.

I realised what had happened when a roar erupted from several floors below, signifying the capture of the pipe dweller at last. I woke up and realised I'd fallen asleep.

"Oh Merlin, who was next?" I muttered. Casting my gaze over the beds I saw that most of the people in them looked fine and Madame Pomfrey was only administering aconite tonic now for the shock. I stood up and walked a couple of paces. The door came open and Hagrid came in, bending to get through the door.

"We caught 'im Poppy!" He exclaimed. "Anything I can use for my hand? The devil got me just before we sorted him."

"Here Hagrid." I said, and waited for the half giant to come to me. I placed my hand on his and concentrated, blinking away the sleepiness. I pulled my hand away and saw nothing had happened. I tried again and still nothing happened. A voice spoke from beside me.

"Poppy, one of your poultices I think." Severus had been watching. I stepped away and he put his arm around my shoulders.

"You're exhausted Elixa, you've done enough." He walked me forwards to an empty bed, and sat me down before administering an arnica infusion.

"You caught it then?" I asked, looking up sleepily. Severus nodded, and I handed back the cup. Seconds later I was inside the bed and a sense of restfulness had overcome me.

"Rest now, you've done well." Severus bent and kissed my forehead gently as I fell back into sleep.


	18. Christmas Cheer

Anything that's not blatant is a riddle  
Please read and review if you can!  
  
Author's penname: Elixa Amethyst  
Voices of the Past Part II  
Written March 2002 onwards, _pre _Order of the Phoenix.  
**All characters and things you recognise, are © JKRowling, no infringement intended.**

_All references to "mediwizard" mean healer.  
Read Part I at ?storyid1672635_

--------------- 

**Chapter Eighteen**

**Christmas Cheer**

The long winter nights quickly slipped into the Christmas holidays and with them came the lonely feeling I was still getting used to. Several mornings I had woken up to hear someone had been walking round in the night by my fellow seventh year female Slytherins. The thought worried me slightly. It worried me more that I had woken at least twice to find myself partly or fully dressed. I spoke to Kerry about it, just to see if she'd noticed whom it was walking around. She listened carefully to me, but something in me told me that she wasn't going to be trustworthy. What harm could it do that I was a sleepwalker? I hadn't been caught, so I mustn't have left the common room. Or had I?  
It was at breakfast that Dumbledore addressed the school, and Filch was present in the great hall.

"This is just to remind you that after curfew, no-one should be out of their dormitories and certainly not out of their house. Mr Filch has been aware that a student, or should it be students, have been up and roaming the corridors in the middle of the night. Whoever it is, please desist, or we will be forced to track you down and enforce a detention. I don't want to have to do that, be we will if you don't stop now." Kerry looked slightly towards me across the table. I looked from Dumbledore to my hands that were knotted together, replicating the tight knot in my stomach. It felt like he was talking to me personally.

Kerry disappeared mid evening and left me talking to Draco and Susan. She went to see Severus, proving my feelings were right about her not being entirely trustworthy on this occasion. Susan was elated about passing an exam in transfiguration, and was describing how pleased Professor McGonagall was. I watched her happy face, wondering how I could have thought she was sinister from going to Albania.

The voice behind the door was distinctly Severus, and Kerry took a deep breath before opening the door to his dungeon office. He was seated at his desk, marking scrolls. He looked up to see Kerry and looked slightly surprised.

"Miss Alanis, shut the door. What are you here for?" Kerry shut the door.

"It's about Elixa." Severus fell silent and regarded Kerry with his black eyes. There was some concern in them. He held a hand out to the chair opposite his desk and the student sat down.

"She's sleepwalking again Professor."

"How do you know this?"

"She told me Sir. She wasn't sure if she was until Dumbledore spoke this morning. I've not caught her at it, but she thinks she is." Severus put his quill down and folded his arms. There seemed to be more to this sleepwalking than was originally thought.

Oddly enough, even thought I didn't know that Kerry had gone to see Severus until much later, the signs that I had sleepwalked stopped. It was as if my body realised I was being watched and took the hint about the warning Dumbledore had given. I turned my mind back to the decision I had to make about Christmas… what to get Severus. I knew he wasn't at all the Christmas sort of person, but it seemed unfair to leave him out because he didn't really enter into the spirit. Some people just didn't enjoy Christmas and in the back of my mind I knew this Christmas wasn't going to be the best I'd seen. It would be my first without my parents. It took a long time to think about, but when I thought of it, I made sure that I sent in my order to Flourish and Blotts in time. I was in luck, they had the book in stock and sent it almost immediately. I was budgeting carefully; I had to live off the money my parents had left me, and the money that the house had sold for. It needed to cover my training to be a mediwizard and I would most probably need to get a job when I left to supplement it.

Christmas day was white. Kerry shook me awake with a red face. I noticed she was wearing outdoor clothes.

"Come on! We need you to come and help!"

"What?" I groaned, rubbing my eyes. Kerry explained briefly and I reluctantly got up and dressed. It was six in the morning, and the sun hadn't woken yet. We came up from the dungeons into the bitter cold of the courtyard. What seemed like most of the Slytherins were there, bewitching the snow and forming snowballs with it. They were putting them into bags.

"We're going to ambush the Gryffindors, someone's found out the password. The wimp Neville gave it to them!" Kerry said a grin on her face.

"We're going to get in huge amounts of trouble!" I lowered my voice to reply.

"Oh come on, live a little, as if you're going to get into trouble." I suddenly had a bright idea.

"I've just had one of the best ideas in a long time." I said, a very sly grin across my face. It didn't take me long to set up my cauldron in the end of the dormitory. I managed to push the small window at the top of the wall open to let any fumes out. It took me next to no time to produce some temporary invisibility potion. It would only last for a maximum of fifteen minutes, and I'd been sure to check that.  
  
The prank was planned absolutely accurately. The Gryffindors were just in their common room ready to go to breakfast when the Slytherins (now invisible from the potion) opened the common room portal and opened fire. There was an almighty roar from the Gryffindors who couldn't see their attackers, just the fact there were snowballs pelting them from all directions. The Slytherins managed to get out just in time and we all ran down the nearest secret passageway, the faint figures just starting to reappear by the time we got half way down. By the time we reached any more public place you could see us all. We walked into the great hall as if nothing had happened and were met with Professor Snape, arms folded and looking rather amused.  
"Good snowball fight?" He asked. We thought we'd been rumbled. Snape just nodded and sat down at the staff table. A couple of audible sighs of relief were made and we sat down.

"I don't believe it, how did he know?" I asked Draco.

"He doesn't, he saw the rest of the Slytherins in the courtyard having a snowball fight. We made sure that happened. Unless any of us were spotted, he doesn't know anything. Good idea that potion. Merry Christmas." I gave a slight smile.  
"Merry Christmas Draco."


	19. A Christmas Day Dance Lesson

Anything that's not blatant is a riddle  
Please read and review if you can!  
  
Author's penname: Elixa Amethyst  
Voices of the Past Part II  
Written March 2002 onwards, _pre _Order of the Phoenix.  
**All characters and things you recognise, are © JKRowling, no infringement intended.**

_All references to "mediwizard" mean healer.  
Read Part I at ?storyid1672635_

--------------- 

**Chapter Nineteen**

**A Christmas Day Dance Lesson**

The Gryffindors were rattled, and they shot glares at the Slytherins as they passed at breakfast. We just tried to cover our mouths discreetly and keep our faces straight. Perhaps Christmas day wasn't so bad after all.

We returned to the common room afterwards and opened presents before lunch. I'd given Draco "The Seeker's Stunning Shots, Volume VI" which I'd hoped he hadn't got, and luckily I was right. I gave Kerry some teenage Muggle books after she had been enthralled with the one Susan had lent her. Oddly enough, books just seemed the right things to give this year. I'm not very good at buying presents, but I hoped I'd got it near enough this time. I gave Susan a book on animagi, wondering if I was wise to. It was too late now. Kerry floated a camera in mid-air so we could all get in the photo at once. Then followed several rounds of traditional games before lunch.

After lunch everyone retired into quiet heaps while they nursed their huge stomachs, filled with as much good food as they could manage. I decided to escape the common room and returned to the dormitory to put away the joke cauldron from Kerry, and the book on Muggle chemistry from Susan. I heard the door open behind me and turned. Draco walked down the dormitory towards me.

"The everlasting gobstoppers weren't your real Christmas present." He told me, nodding to the bag in my hand. I had wondered, it just didn't seem Draco.

"Elixa… I've been doing a lot of thinking… I've never had feelings for anyone else but you like this, and I don't think I'll ever stop feeling this way… so…" I saw Draco start to go down on one knee and I swallowed. He wasn't, please say he's not…!

"Elixa Amethyst, will you-." He opened a small box and revealed a ring, my legs buckled and I landed on my bed. I opened my mouth to speak.

"Draco I…"

"…Accept this as your Christmas present?" He finished. Half of my brain sighed with relief.

"I thought you were going to-."

"Propose? The thought crossed my mind, but we've barely been together a year. I'm not ready for that commitment, and I don't suppose you are too." I nodded.

"Thank you Draco." I kissed him and he stood up and sat down beside me and kissed me again. He took my hand and put the ring on my finger, pausing by the one he might well one day put a real engagement ring. He glanced up at my face that didn't reveal anything and he put it on my finger.

"To the future, yes?" I nodded and gave him another kiss.

I knocked on the door, and waited for a reply.

"If you're bringing Christmas, be gone!" A voice said from inside. The door opened slightly and I could see Severus brandishing his wand.

"I'm innocent- bah humbug!" I exclaimed putting my hands up.

"Makes a welcome change." I followed my uncle back into his office. It looked exactly the same as any other day, from the specimens to the complicated apparatus on the table against the far wall.

"Why should you hate Christmas suddenly Elixa?" The question was unexpected. We settled in chairs by the fire.

"Memories." I replied. There seemed to be a mutual agreement.

"Thank you for the album anyway." I said, giving a slight nod. I'd found an exact replica to the one on the third shelf not far from where we sat at the end of my bed after Draco had gone.

"I thought you'd enjoy it. Thank you for the book as well…" He lifted the cat communication book from the table beside him.

"I thought you could teach me some manners. I don't want to be caught swearing again!" Quirrell could understand cat, but hadn't quite mastered the art of speaking it.

"Memories are the cause of this visit then?" I put my head to one side and then nodded, looking towards the fire.

"You don't realise how much you can miss simple things until they're gone. Just like the once every so many years Christmas at home, or an extra long owl and perhaps a photograph. There's nothing really to look forwards to."

"Find something before you end up like me- hating Christmas." Severus said, and I glanced towards him.

"Memories for you too?" I asked.

"It's quite a personal question, but in a way, you could say that."

"I won't intrude then." We fell silent. Severus shifted slightly in his chair and looked at me properly.

"Two more terms until you leave. It only seems like yesterday you were being sorted." I gave a smile.

"I was so nervous!" I exclaimed. "I thought the sorting hat would never be able to decide!"

"How do you feel about your exams?" I paused to think.

"Not really nervous yet, but I know I have to work hard to achieve the best grades I can to give me the best chance in my career."

"Don't put too much pressure on yourself Elixa." Our eyes met and I realised he was serious.

"And then there's the leaver's ball." I said, trying to change the subject. "That'll be a laugh, trying to dance. I know Draco's a very good dancer. I've got the grace and co-ordination of a well…elephant… but that's an insult to elephants really."

"I don't believe you. Your mother was an excellent dancer, I do believe she and your father won the dance competition at a Yule ball." There seemed to be a hint of a smile on his face.

"They didn't pass those genes on to me then!" I said with a grin. Severus stood up and took my hand. I stood up as well and we walked into the space in the centre of the room.

"The use of potions and charms to make people dance better are often noticeable. The best dancers are those who learn it. So, unless you wish to ask Mr Malfoy to teach you, you better listen now." There was an unusual look on my uncle's face. I went along with the idea, although he didn't really take me as the sort who would dance.

Severus had me co-ordinating my feet in no time, and I was amazed I could actually do it. I'd pitched once, but he'd caught my arm to stop me falling. Otherwise I'd been fine.

"Now, face me." I turned to face Severus and he put his arm around my waist. I was surprised slightly, but when he took my other hand in his and held it out to the side, I realised what was going on and put my arm around his shoulders.

"I apologise in advance for treading on toes." I said, blushing.

"I assure you that you won't." He replied and we moved off, dancing in the silence of the dungeon office, snow starting to fall outside once more.


	20. Sinister Susan?

Anything that's not blatant is a riddle  
Please read and review if you can!  
  
Author's penname: Elixa Amethyst  
Voices of the Past Part II  
Written March 2002 onwards, _pre _Order of the Phoenix.  
**All characters and things you recognise, are © JKRowling, no infringement intended.**

_All references to "mediwizard" mean healer.  
Read Part I at ?storyid1672635_

--------------- 

**Chapter Twenty**

**Sinister Susan?**

For how long we danced I have no idea, as my mind just concentrated on my feet. Slowly they began to make decisions for themselves and I found myself looking up into Severus's eyes. If he wasn't my uncle I could see myself falling in love with him. It was a very alarming thought. I put my head forwards and it met his chest. Severus let go of my hand and put both arms around me. We stood in silence just thinking, and then he moved away. There were too many confused thoughts in my head, and I caught his hand with mine. I felt him touch the ring Malfoy had put on my finger and he held the hand up, eyeing it suspiciously.

"It's a Christmas present, it's not anything more than that." I said. Severus looked at me, straight in my eyes with his black ones.

"You know my opinion of him with you, so it doesn't need repeated." He said, dropping my hand and sitting down again. I walked slowly over to his chair and placed my hand on his shoulder. Severus knocked it off and I felt pained. Why did this always happen?

The spring term began and the Quidditch matches became more and more competitive. Draco had been out practising moves from the book I gave him at Christmas. Most of my time was spent in the library, studying hard. A couple of nights I'd been in there past curfew, unaware of the time. Quirrell had found me the last time. He'd settled beside me.

"It isn't good to study for long periods of time." He said. I looked up at his translucent face.

"I'm taking breaks. You were the one who said I needed to get the best grades possible."

"True, but not so much you kill yourself with the stress."

"I'm fine Professor." I said, gathering my books together and leaving the library as fast as I could. Quirrell watched me leave a worried look on his face. I knew he was partly right. I was running myself into the ground, and I'd been taking potions I'd mixed to cure the nausea. I didn't think I was sleeping either. There was no fear of sleepwalking if all I could do at night was close my eyes and wait, unable to sleep. I suspected I'd had less hours asleep than a normal night's sleep in the last 3 days nights altogether. After the fifth day with next to no sleep I was taking high doses of sleeping potion which should have knocked me out for a day at a time but was only giving me an hour of sleep. I kept going, Susan just encouraging me with her successes from her studies. Severus was most alarmed when I just disappeared from behind my cauldron during double potions. I'd collapsed on the floor, exhaustion finally winning.

"There's enough traces of sleeping solution in her blood to have kept her asleep for two weeks, but she doesn't appear to have slept at all despite taking it, as if she was immune." Madame Pomfrey was talking. I must have been taken to the hospital wing.

"I've caught her in the library late quite a few nights, she's just working constantly. I warned her." Quirrell said. "I have a strong suspicion that her friend Susan North is doing something. She's been progressing so much- it doesn't seem possible."

"Are you saying Susan is making Elixa stay up and study?" McGonagall exclaimed her tone indicating she thought Quirrell was being stupid.

"We don't know if there is a link between the two of them though. It could well be that Susan is sharing some of Elixa's powers and subsequently she's draining Elixa as Susan excels." Severus gave quite a logical answer. He seemed to believe Quirrell.

"True, but the Ministry's checked it. Susan is nothing more than a hard working, bright and talented student. She is a model student!" McGonagall was fighting Susan's corner very well, almost too well.

"Supporting a Slytherin Minerva?" Quirrell said. I imagined McGonagall stared at him with one of her stern looks.

"I am supporting an innocent party. If you ask me Elixa has probably been up studying and she's the one who we heard in the library the other night, bringing this incident upon herself."

"We are aware she sleepwalks occasionally Minerva." Severus answered. "I believe Elixa is awake now." He said. I opened my eyes and the hospital wing slowly came into focus. I could see the Professors standing at the foot of my bed looking at me. I looked from one end of the line to the other, anticipating a lecture.

A couple of days with dreamless sleep potion and peace and I was back on my feet. I was being watched closely by all the staff when it came to working out of lessons. They were giving me strict time limits on my work, and accepting work that I had spent the given time limit on and not finished. It wasn't too bad to start off with but soon I got quite bored with it and bent the time allowance rules. At least I seemed to be sleeping.

But I wasn't out of danger…yet…


End file.
